User:Gill7da/Jan Lokpal Bill

The Jan Lokpal Bill is a draft anti corruption bill prepared by Shanti Bhushan in consultation with the leaders of the India Against Corruption movement and the civil society. The bill proposes institution of the office of Lokpal at center and Lok Ayukta at state level. Jan Lokpal Bill is designed to create an effective anti-corruption and grievance redressal systems at centre and to assure that effective deterrent is created against corruption and to provide effective protection to whistleblowers.

The Lokpal

The Lokpal is proposed to be a ten member body along with its officers and the employees. The bill provides for appointment of the Chairperson and members of the Lokpal within six months of enacting the bill. Predictable vacancies in Lokpal are to be filled in advance at least before three months of such vacancy. Unpredictable vacancies are to be filled within one month of such vacancy.

Appointment of the Chairperson and the Members of Lokpal

The draft bill provides that at least four members of the Lokpal must have legal background. In order to assure people of integrity are appointed as members of the Lokpal, the bill bars appointment of any person who has been charge-sheeted under Prevention of Corruption Act or under Indian Penal Code.

Selection Committee

The bill provides for the setting up a selection committee comprising of

1. The Chairpersons of both Houses of Parliament
2. Two senior most judges of Supreme Court
3. Two senior most Chief Justices of High Courts.
4. All Nobel Laureates of Indian Origin
5. Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission
6. Last two Magsaysay Award winners of Indian origin
7. Comptroller and Auditor General of India
8. Chief Election Commissioner
9. Bharat Ratna Award winners
10. After the first set of selection process, the outgoing members and Chairperson of Lokpal.

The senior most Justice of Supreme Court shall act as chairperson of the selection committee.

Selection Procedure

• Recommendations shall be invited through open advertisements in prescribed format.
• Each person recommending shall be expected to justify the selection of his candidate giving examples from the past achievements of the candidate.
• The list of candidates along with their recommendations received in the format mentioned above shall be displayed on a website.
• Each member of the selection committee, on the basis of the above material, shall recommend such number of names as there are vacancies.
• A priority list shall be prepared with the candidate receiving recommendations from maximum number of members of selection committee at the top. The candidates recommended by same number of members shall be treated at par.
• This priority list shall be displayed on the website.
• Around three times the names as there are vacancies, shall be shortlisted from the top.
• Public feedback shall be invited on the shortlisted names by putting these names on the website.
• The selection committee may decide to use any means to collect more information about the background and past achievements of the shortlisted candidates.
• Selection committee shall invite shortlisted candidates for discussions, video recordings of which shall be made public.
• All the material obtained so far about the candidates shall be made available to each member of the selection committee in advance. The members shall make their own assessment of each candidate.
• The selection committee shall meet and discuss the material so received about each candidate. The final selections for the Chairperson and members shall be made preferably through consensus. Provided that if three or more members, for reasons to be recorded in writing, object to the selection of any member, he shall not be selected.
• All meetings of selection committee shall be video recorded and shall be made public

The Prime Minister shall recommend the names finalized by the selection committee to the President immediately, who shall order such appointments within a month of receipt of the same.