Justice N Santosh Hegde, a representative of the civil society in the joint drafting committee for the Lokpal Bill, on Saturday said that there is nothing wrong in the presence of Sangh Parivar leader Sadhvi Ritambhara on the dais where Baba Ramdev is on a hunger strike against black money. When informed that Ramdev had assured Anna Hazare on Friday that no communal element will be allowed to join his satyagraha, Hegde said, "Suppose the Muslim League comes out on Sunday?"
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who is a member of the newly constituted 10 member draft committee of the Lokpal Bill along with his father Shanti Bhushan, has decided to move a criminal contempt petition in the Supreme Court on Monday."I am moving a criminal contempt petition in the Supreme Court against those who have brought out a controversial CD against my father Shanti Bhushan with the intention of maligning his name," Prashant Bushan said.
Noted constitutional expert Fali Nariman has advised Gandhian Anna Hazare to refrain from sitting on fast again to press for his demands pertaining to the Jan Lokpal Bill.
Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, a member of the joint drafting committee on the Lokpal Bill, on Monday said that he would not like to continue in his chair after the expiry of his five-year term in August.
"I have been assured by the Delhi Police that there would be free, fair and thorough probe. The CD will be examined in at least two different labs for separate reports," Chidambaram told media persons in New Delhi.
The post of Prime Minister may be brought under the purview of Lokpal with certain riders like holding the enquiry only after the person demits office, notwithstanding the intense face-off between the government and Anna Hazare team.
A fresh controversy involving anti-corruption campaigner Shanti Bhushan broke out on Wednesday over allotment of priced farmhouse plots to him and his son Jayant in nearby Noida and demands have cropped for the lawyer's resignation from the joint committee to draft the Lokpal Bill.
After a not so pleasant experience of engaging with Anna Hazare's team in drafting of the Lokpal Bill, the government says that there will be no such experiment in the future.
The Centre on Saturday invited applications for appointment to the post of chairperson and members of the anti-graft watchdog, Lokpal.
You cannot have an Executive outside the constitutional framework, answerable to nobody, because the chances of such an organisation corrupted by the sheer lust for power are much greater than the Executive functioning within a constitutional framework, writes Union Cabinet Minister Kapil Sibal.
"Feel nostalgic when I see this picture. We had burnt government's 'jokepal' at that time," Kejriwal tweeted, attaching a picture of him holding a burning copy of the draft Lokpal back in 2011.
Devinder Sharma, distinguished food security expert who has been with the NGO India Against Corruption since its inception, gives excusive insights into the making of the Jantar Mantar hunger strike and the people's outbursts that followed.
Arvind Kejriwal, member of the panel drafting the Lokpal bill, responds to criticism that civic society is trying to usurp democracy and also explains the need for stronger Lokpal bill to tackle corruption.
Bhushan questioned the appointment and removal processes of the Lokpal laid out in the bill, which was recently cleared by the Aam Aadmi Party cabinet, saying they would put the ombudsman at the mercy of the city government.
The bill was passed without discussion as the Opposition had staged a walkout over the alleged scam in the Teachers' Eligibility Test.
Rarely known to see eye to eye on any issue, ever since the days of the Jan Lokpal movement, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Union Minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday greeted and embraced each other on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi at a Delhi mosque.
Abhishek Manu Singvi, chairman of 30-member Standing Committee of Parliament, on Wednesday adopted the Lokpal draft for consideration and approval by the union cabinet before it is tabled in both houses in the form of an anti-corruption bill.
Rejecting contention that Lokpal proposed by it was aimed at creating a 'parallel' government, veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday said he will undertake fast-unto-death from August 16 and would not be go back on his decision even if the government makes any request.
Amid a war of words between the government and the civil society members over Lokpal Bill, both sides will meet in New Delhi on Wednesday to draft the bill.
Followers of activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday declared that they didn't want a confrontation with the Delhi police, in an apparent reaction to Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal's strong statement against the "abusive language" allegedly used by the activists.No defiance of prohibitory orders, no courting arrest by insisting on a fast at Jantar Mantar and no boycott of the joint committee the government formed at the insistence of Hazare to draft the Lokpal Bill, the group decided.
In this interview with rediff.com's Sahim Salim, Advocate M L Sharma says that he is not against an effective Lokpal bill, but that he is against the inclusion of five members, who by "no stretch of imagination represent the public."
The central government on Thursday opened a channel of communication with anti-corruption protestors led by Anna Hazare with Union Minister Kapil Sibal meeting activists Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kejriwal to find a way out the demand for a joint committee on drafting Lokpal Bill.
Accusing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of not taking any steps for the betterment of Dalits, Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday sought to know details of the measures taken by her for the welfare of downtrodden communities in the state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday dubbed as an eyewash the setting up of a Group of Ministers to draft a new bill to insulate the Central Bureau of Investigation from political interference.
Stepping up the attack on the ruling AAP over the 2015 Delhi Janlokpal Bill, ousted party leader Prashant Bhushan on Sunday said that the proposed legislation is "completely" different from its previous 2014 version.
Reflecting a thaw in their relations with Anna Hazare, a team of Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday called on the Gandhian whose indefinite fast entered its third day and vowed to continue lending support to his fight for an effective Jan Lokpal.
Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday said the proposed Lokayukta Act in Maharashtra on the lines of the Centre's Lokpal legislation will be a "revolutionary" tool to fight against corruption.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told media persons at a press conference that the draft Lok Pal would be ready by January 15 on Thursday. Delhi's chief secretary would head the committee.
Asserting that it was for Parliament to take a final view on inclusion of Prime Minister under the ambit of Lokpal, Parliamentary Standing Committee chairman Abhishek Singhvi on Wednesday said the panel was not meant to reach out to or please Team Anna or any other group.
Though there is a full-throated clamour in the Congress that party vice-president Rahul Gandhi be formally named as its prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Nehru-Gandhi scion is personally not convinced that his projection will yield electoral dividends.
Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh is coming under increasing fire from his own party colleagues for quite a few reasons, says Anita Katyal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who faced flak for his protest in the heart of the capital, on Saturday said the Constitution does not prevent the chief minister from holding a dharna.
The decision of the Union Cabinet based on the Group of Ministers recommendations only creates an illusion by removing the political executive and creating a proxy institution instead, says Arun Jaitley
The decision of the Union Cabinet based on the Group of Ministers recommendations only creates an illusion by removing the political executive and creating a proxy institution instead, says Arun Jaitley
A never-seen-before Rahul Gandhi exuded toughness and aggression. And it was not only about the words he used to castigate the opposition but his dialogue delivery, facial expressions, overall body language that conveyed a different, more confident Gandhi, says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Despite the recent electoral reverses, Rahul is getting ready to walk the fire once more. The question is whether he will get burned or burnished in the process, says Saroj Nagi.
'This is not a small change, it's a BIG change. People wanted to hear the voice of their PM. They can do so now. This is a big parivartan.'
Gujarat Lokayukta Justice R A Mehta's resignation letter is a stinging indictment of the Narendra Modi government's obstructionist attitude towards a constitutional watchdog.
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