The Delhi cabinet cleared the Jan Lokpal Bill on Wednesday, partly fulfilling the promise of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in delivering a strong anti-graft measure to tackle corruption. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Bill will be tabled in the Assembly soon, which upon passing muster will become law. A senior government official said it will make every possible effort to get the Bill passed in the ongoing winter session of the Assembly, reported PTI.
The draft Bill will also bring the chief minister's office under its purview and is on the lines of the Uttarakhand Lokpal Bill, which stipulates a time-bound investigation, according to the report. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said it will be "a strict Lokpal which won't be a mere slogan, which won't be limited to symbolism". He added that it is "the same Bill which came up during the Anna [Hazare] movement [in 2011], without any changes".
Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta said the government's move was out of compulsion and that the credit should go to the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Aam Aadmi Party was born out of the Jan Lokpal movement in 2011, spearheaded by activist Anna Hazare. The AAP had introduced the Bill in the Assembly in February 2014 during its first term. However, Kejriwal resigned within 49 days of assuming office, saying he was unable to garner support to get the Bill passed.
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