The word Lokpal means an ombudsman in India.

The word has been

derived from the Hindi words "lok" (people) and "pal"
(protector/caretaker). So the word Lokpal means 'Protector of
people'.The concept of Lokpal has been drawn up ostensibly to root out
corruption at high places in the prevailing Indian polity.

Contents
[hide]

• 1 Lokpal Bill
• 2 History
• 3 Duties
• 4 Differences between Draft Lokpal Bill 2010 and Jan Lokpal Bill
• 5 See Also
• 6 References

• 7 External links

[edit] Lokpal Bill

After 42 years the lokpal bill is still pending in India. The first Lokpal Bill
was passed in the 4th Lok Sabha in 1969 but could not get through in
Rajya Sabha, subsequently, Lokpal bills were introduced in 1971, 1977,
1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and in 2008, yet they were never
passed and its pending. [1][2]
The Lokpal Bill provides for filing complaints of corruption against the
prime minister, other ministers, and MPs with the ombudsman. The
Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) while recommending the
constitution of Lokpal was convinced that such an institution was
justified not only for removing the sense of injustice from the minds of
adversely affected citizens but also necessary to instill public
confidence in the efficiency of administrative machinery. Following
this, the Lokpal Bill was for the first time presented during the fourth
Lok Sabha in 1968, and was passed there in 1969.
However, while it was pending in the Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha was
dissolved, resulting the first death of the bill. The bill was revived in
1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and most recently in
2008. Each time, after the bill was introduced to the house, it was
referred to some committee for improvements - a joint committee of
parliament, or a departmental standing committee of the Home
Ministry - and before the government could take a final stand on the
issue the house was dissolved.
Several flaws have been cited in the recent draft of the Lokpal Bill. [3]
Meanwhile the activists of India Against Corruption (IAC) have prepared
a draft for the bill called Jan Lokpal Bill.[2]

[edit] History
The basic idea of the Lok Pal is borrowed from the office of
ombudsman, which has played an effective role in checking corruption
and wrong-doing in Scandinavian and other nations.In early 1960s,
mounting corruption in public administration set the winds blowing in
favour of an Ombudsman in India too. The Administrative Reforms
Commission (ARC) set up in 1966 recommended the constitution of a
two-tier machinery - of a Lokpal at the Centre, and Lokayukt(a)s in the
states.

[edit] Duties
Prime Minister or a House of Parliament — to whom a Lokpal sends its
report holds that the allegations of corruption made in a complaint
against the Prime Minister, or a Minister or MP (present or past) have
not been proved, "notwithstanding anything contained in any other
law", "no prosecution shall lie on any complaint, report, information or
otherwise and no court shall take cognisance of any offence on the
basis of the same or substantially the same allegations."
The Lokpal is empowered to give directions for deferring or suspending
any ongoing police investigations in matters covered by the complaints
made to it.
There are many more gems of justice that deserve attention.
Contradictory to the government’s claim that the Lokpal would provide
the common man with exemplary powers to censure his/her elected
representative, every complainant, the government’s ‘common man’,
has to pay a fees and take full responsibility for leveling charges and in
case the complaint is found to be baseless, to discourage the same
‘common man’, serious punitive action extending to two years in jail
and Rs.50,000 in fine will be imposed on the complainant.
Charges of corruption in the Indian legal system are not necessarily
covered only under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 but also
under many other Acts, but the Lokpal restricts its ambit to the cases
under this Act.
Regarding the constitution of the Lokpal, the Chairman of the Lokpal
shall be from among past or present chief justices of Supreme Court.
But the other two members of the Lokpal may also be from those
qualified to be judges of the Supreme Court. The loose end left here
makes countless many from India’s entire judiciary eligible for the post
including those who are also senior party politicians with legal
background.
Lokpal is highest institution in India to investigate corruption at higher
places in Government. Creation of Lokpal institution is under process.
Many previous attempt were unsuccessful due to lack of political
support.
This institution will cover all government ministers, officers at centre
including Prime Minister (Under Debate).

[edit] Differences between Draft Lokpal

Bill 2010 and Jan Lokpal Bill
Differences
Draft Lokpal Bill 2010 Jan Lokpal Bill
Lokpal will have no power to initiate suo moto
Lokpal will have powers to initiate suo
action or receive complaints of corruption from
moto action or receive complaints of
the general public. It can only probe complaints
corruption from the general public.
forwarded by LS Speaker or RS Chairman.
Lokpal will be much more than an
Lokpal will only be an Advisory Body. Its part is
Advisory Body. It should be granted
only limited to forwarding its report to the
powers to initiate Prosecution against
"Competent Authority"
anyone found guilty.
Lokpal will not have any police powers. It can not
Lokpal will have police powers. To
register FIRs or proceed with criminal
say that it will be able to register FIRs.
investigations.
CBI and Lokpal will have no connection with each Lokpal and anti corruption wing of
other. CBI will be one Independent body.
The punishment should be minimum 5
Punishment for corruption will be minimum 6
years and maximum up-to life
months and maximum up-to 7 years.
imprisonment.
Lokpal will not be a monopoly for
particular area

• Article
• Comments

What is the Jan Lokpal Bill, why

it's important
NDTV Correspondent, Updated: April 05, 2011 20:02 IST

The Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen's ombudsman Bill) is a draft anti-corruption bill drawn up
by prominent civil society activists seeking the appointment of a Jan Lokpal, an
independent body that would investigate corruption cases, complete the investigation
within a year and envisages trial in the case getting over in the next one year.

Drafted by Justice Santosh Hegde (former Supreme Court Judge and present Lokayukta
of Karnataka), Prashant Bhushan (Supreme Court Lawyer) and Arvind Kejriwal (RTI
activist), the draft Bill envisages a system where a corrupt person found guilty would go
to jail within two years of the complaint being made and his ill-gotten wealth being
confiscated. It also seeks power to the Jan Lokpal to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats
without government permission.

Retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi and other known people like Swami Agnivesh, Sri Sri
Ravi Shankar, Anna Hazare and Mallika Sarabhai are also part of the movement, called
India Against Corruption. Its website describes the movement as "an expression of
collective anger of people of India against corruption. We have all come together to
force/request/persuade/pressurize the Government to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill. We feel
that if this Bill were enacted it would create an effective deterrence against corruption."

Anna Hazare, anti-corruption crusader, began a fast-unto-death today, demanding that

this bill, drafted by the civil society, be adopted. The website of the India Against
Corruption movement calls the Lokpal Bill of the government an "eyewash" and has on it
a critique of that government Bill. It also lists the difference between the Bills drafted by
the government and civil society.

A look at the salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill:

1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be
set up

2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of
the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations.

3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in
any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one
year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.

4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time
of conviction.

5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed
time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers,
which will be given as compensation to the complainant.
6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being
made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in
prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month's time. You could also report
any case of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been
constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its
investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail
within two years.

7. But won't the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That
won't be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and
constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and
participatory process.

8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/
Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal
shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.

9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance

and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete
powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or
politician.

10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being
victimized for raising their voice against corruption.