ID :
220926
Wed, 12/28/2011 - 09:35
Auther :

India: Lokpal Bill passed in Lok Sabha but statute amendment bill defeated

New Delhi, Dec 28 (PTI) After failed moves over the past 43 years, the lower house of India's Parliament Tuesday night passed a historic bill to create a nine-member anti-corruption watchdog Lokpal (ombudsman) after a marathon debate but the government suffered an embarassment when the legislation to give it a Constitutional status was defeated for want of the requisite two-third majority. Official amendments were carried out to the Lokpal and Lokayukta (ombudsmen at state level) Bill, 2011, giving the option to the states to set up Lokayukta and leaving the country's armed forces and Coast Guard out of its purview. The Constitution Amendment Bill, an idea of Congress party general secretary Rahul Gandhi to give Constitutional status to Lokpal and Lokayukta, was also favoured by the Standing Committee of Parliament which considered the bill. The Treasury Benches, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee and ruling UPA coalition Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, looked glum when the Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj raised the issue that the voting on the clauses of the Constitution Amendment Bill did not have the required special majority. The bill needed to be passed by a special majority of a majority of the total membership of the house with a two thirds majority of the members present and voting. With a total membership of 545, Lok Sabha witnessed high drama as voting on the three clauses showed that the ruling side had failed to get the required number of 273 in favour, prompting Speaker Meira Kumar to drop the clauses from the bill. The Lokpal Bill about which parties across the spectrum, the opposition -- right and the left -- and allies and supporters of the government, had some objection or other was passed by a voice vote. The House also passed the Protection to Persons Making Disclosures Bill, 2011 aimed at protecting whistle-blowers. Heeding to demands from the Opposition, allies and supporting parties, the government brought in as many as ten amendments to the Lokpal Bill, including the one that gives the option to states to form a Lokayukta. The other amendments included keeping out defence forces and changing the requirement of three-fouth of Lokpal members to approve an enquiry against the Prime Minister to two-third. All the opposition amendments, including the ones that sought to bring in corporates and media and reservation for minorities were rejected. While Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party members walked out before voting, non-NDA opposition, including the Left parties, Biju Janata Dal and AIADMK, made a brief walk out after the passage of the bill before returning to the House for participating on the Constitution Amendment Bill. The Bill now goes before the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, for approval. PTI

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