Nine months after storming to power, the AAP government today introduced the Delhi Janlokpal Bill in the Assembly, which provides for an ombudsman with powers to act against any government functionary, including those of the Centre, in the national capital through its own investigation wing.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who tabled the Bill, termed it as the most "effective and independent" in India's history and said the proposed legislation brings under its ambit every act of corruption occuring within the boundaries of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
AAP leaders said the Lokpal will have powers to even probe acts of corruption againts Union Ministers and central government officials, which may trigger another round of confrontation between the Kejriwal government and the Centre.
Sisodia assured people that the bill is similar to the one that came up during the 2011 Anna movement, rejecting allegations of it being "completely different".
A four-member selection committee, chaired by the Delhi High Court Chief Justice, will select the three-member Lokpal, he said. The other members of the Committee will be the Chief Minister, Speaker of the state Assembly and the Leader of the Opposition.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made his first appearance in the ongoing session of the House, while BJP legislators were not present during the introduction of the Bill. Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta, who was earlier marshalled out of the House, did not return despite requests by Sisosida.
Under the bill, the Lokpal can be removed only through a process of impeachment and it will require at least two-thirds majority in the Legislative Assembly. AAP has an unprecedented 67 MLAs in the 70-member Delhi Legislative Assembly.
The appointment and removal process has come under criticism from former AAP leaders Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav and BJP who have accused Kejriwal of playing the "biggest fraud" by diluting the provisions that were envisaged originally.
Sisodia hit out at BJP over the bill's criticism, saying
the party seemed unaware of Constitutional arrangement. Impeachement can be done by the Assembly and not the government, he said.
"They say we have removed the part about eminent persons being a part of the Selection Committee but the Supreme Court has observed during the debate on NJAC that including such eminent persons will make the body prone to government influence," he said.
Enunciating major provisions of the Bill, Sisodia said it provides for investigation and prosecution wings for the Lokpal. Lokpal, with powers of the civil courts, shall have investigative powers and can take up issues suo motu or based on complaints, he said.
"It will ensure time-bound probe and prosecution within six months and 12 months in rarest cases. It will have powers to confiscate and attach properties of officials involved in corrupt acts. It can sentence someone to life imprisonment," he said.
He also briefly referred to provisions for protection of whistleblowers and provisions that put private company officials under the bill's ambit.
"It's a historic day for us and for all those who have been fighting for a strong and independent Lokpal since 1967. The 2011 anti-corruption agitation was one of the most powerful movements in the history of post-independence India," Sisodia said, amid chants of 'Arvind Kejriwal zindabad' and 'Vandemataram' by AAP MLAs.
