Eradication of Corruption

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

30-July-2014 16:52 IST

Prime Minister’s Office, vide a communication dated 24.06.2014, informed the Department of Personnel & Training and the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances that the following are part of immediate thrust areas of the Government:-

(i) Passing of Citizen’ Grievances Bill;

(ii) Amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act.

(iii) Setting up of the Lokpal

The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill is presently pending in the Rajya Sabha. The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Law and Justice has submitted its report on the Bill, wherein it has recommended a number of amendments in the Bill. No final decision has been taken on these recommendations. The Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011 (Citizens’ Grievances Bill) has lapsed with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha.

As regards the setting up of Lokpal, the position is as follows:-

The Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (4) of Section 1 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (1 of 2014), appointed the 16th day of January, 2014, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force.

In exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (5) of section 4 of the Act, the Central Government notified the Search Committee (Constitution, Terms and Conditions of appointment of members and the manner of selection of Panel of Names for appointment of Chairperson and Members of Lokpal) Rules, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as Search Committee Rules).

A writ petition has been filed by Common Cause, a Registered Society, before the Hon’ble Supreme Court wherein, inter alia, challenge has been made to the validity of the Search Committee Rules. During the course of hearing of the case by the Supreme Court on 5th May, 2014, the Court has been informed that the Government will re-examine the issue and make formal amendments in the Rules and only thereafter proceed further in the matter. Accordingly, Government has examined the matter and it has been found that a number of provisions in the said Rules may require to be amended. Government has constituted a Committee under the Chairmanship of the Attorney General for India to address the relevant issues related to the amendments to the Search Committee (Constitution, Terms and Conditions of appointment of members and the manner of selection of panel of names for appointment of Chairperson and Members of Lokpal) Rules, 2014. The matter can be processed further only after the amendments are carried out in the Rules as per the undertaking given before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

Dr. Jitendra Singh MoS (PPG&P) gave this information in Lok Sabha today in a written reply to a question by Shrimati Ranjeet Ranjan and Shri Rajesh Ranjan.