UPSCPORTAL Current Affairs : http://upscportal.com/civilservices/current-affairs WWW.UPSCPORTAL.COMCopyright © 2011 | WWW.UPSCPORTAL.COM 1 UPSCPORTAL Current Affairs : http://upscportal.com/civilservices/current-affairs CONTENTS Articles: 8 Lokpal Bill 8 Libyan Crisis Cirrent Affairs: 8 National Issues 8 International Issues 8 Economy Issues 8 India & The World 8 Science & Technology 8 Sports 8 Awards & Prizes 8 Persons in News Special Study Material 8 Bank Solved Paper (S.B.I.) P.O. Held on 18.04.2010 http://upscportal.com/civilservices/alert/ias-mains-test-series-2011 Join us at FaceBook : http://www.facebook.com/upscportal.original Follow us at Twitter : http://twitter.com/upscportal Join UPSCPORTAL.COM’s Google Groups : http://groups.google.co.in/group/upscportal Join UPSCPORTAL.COM’s Official Forum: http://upscportal.com/civilservices/forum Buy Books & Study Material Online: http://upscportal.com/civilservices/order-books Get IAS, UPSC Daily Updates in your E-mail: http://upscportal.com/civilservices/newsletter Copyright © 2011 | WWW.UPSCPORTAL.COM 2 UPSCPORTAL Current Affairs : http://upscportal.com/civilservices/current-affairs LOKPAL BILL The word Lokpal means an ombudsman in India. The word has been derived from the Sanskrit words "loka" (people) and "pala" (protector/ caretaker). So the word Lokpal means 'protector of people'. The con- cept of Lokpal has been drawn up to root out corruption at all levels in the prevailing Indian polity. The Lokpal will be a three-member body with a chairperson who is or was a chief justice or Supreme Court judge, and two members who are or have been high courts judges or chief justices.Implementation of the Lokpal bill will hopefully reduce corruption in India. 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 Lokayukta(s) in the states.the Lokpal has to com- plete the inquiry within six months. Duties of Lokpal are as follows: 1. To judge the cases and make jurisdictions against corruption cases with the Lokpal. 2. To judge whether a case is legal or whether a fake complaint has been made. 3. To potentially impose fines on a fake complaint, or even a short span of jail time, if the case is not proved to be legally true. In India, the Jan Lokpal Bill (also referred to as the citizens' ombudsman bill) is a proposed anti- corruption law designed to effectively deter corruption, redress grievances and protect whistleblowers. The law would create an ombudsman called the Lokpal; this would be an independent body similar to the Election Commission of India with the power to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without prior government permission. A compromise bill, merging the Government's version and that of the civil group's version (Jan Lokpal), is being drafted by a committee of five Cabinet Ministers and five social activists. As of July 2011, the most current version of the bill is version 2.3, according to the government website. For 42 years, the government-drafted bill has failed to pass the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India.The first Lokpal Bill was passed in the 4th Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament, in 1969 but stalled in the Rajya Sabha. Subsequent Lokpal bills were introduced in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008 but all failed to pass. Copyright © 2011 | WWW.UPSCPORTAL.COM 3 UPSCPORTAL Current Affairs : http://upscportal.com/civilservices/current-affairs » N. Santosh Hegde, Lokayukta (Karnataka); and Latest Developments » Arvind Kejriwal. Anna Hazare, a Gandhian rights activist, had Thousands of people from all over India, especially started a fast unto death at Jantar Mantar in New the youth, supported Anna Hazare's cause by candle Delhi demanding the passing of the bill. Hazare light marches and online campaigns through so- called off his hunger strike on the 9th of April, cial media.Recently Yoga guru, Swami Ramdev, 2011 bringing to an end his 98-hour protest after was on a fast for this cause for 9 consecutive days the government issued a gazette notification con- from 4 June - 12 June 2011. He wanted the Gov- stituting a 10-member Joint Committee of govern- ernment of India to accept various demands which ment ministers and civil society activists, includ- mainly included those related to the Lokpall ing him, to draft a bill for the creation of an effec- bill.Anna Hazare on the 8th of June, 2011, declared tive Lokpal. that he will restart his fast unto death on the 16th of August if the Lokpal bill is not passed by the Drafting Committee Parliament of India by 15 August, which is the Inependence Day of India.On the 16th of June, the civil society reported that only 15 points of total The drafting committee was officially formed on 71 that they recommended have been agreed to by 8 April 2011. It consists of ten members, includ- the Joint Committee consisting of five central min- ing five from the government and five drawn from isters. Following differences with the Civil Soci- society. ety, the team of five central ministers decided to forward two drafts of the Lokpal Bill to the Cabi- Chairmen net, one from each side. The Government of India accepted that the com- The Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen's ombudsman Bill) mittee be co-chaired by a politician and an activ- is a draft anti-corruption bill drawn up by promi- ist, non-politician. It is reported that Pranab nent civil society activists seeking the appointment Mukherjee, from the political arena, and Shanti of a Jan Lokpal, an independent body that would Bhushan, from civil society, will fill those roles. investigate corruption cases, complete the inves- tigation within a year and envisages trial in the Government representation (Five Cabinet min- case getting over in the next one year. Drafted by isters )They are: Justice Santosh Hegde (former Supreme Court » Pranab Mukherjee, Finance Minister, Co-Chair- Judge and present Lokayukta of Karnataka), man; Prashant Bhushan (Supreme Court Lawyer) and » P. Chidambaram, Minister of Home Affairs; Arvind Kejriwal (RTI activist), the draft Bill en- » Veerappa Moily, Minister of Law and Justice; visages a system where a corrupt person found » Kapil Sibal, Minister for Communications and guilty would go to jail within two years of the com- Information Technology; and plaint being made and his ill-gotten wealth being confiscated. It also seeks power to the Jan Lokpal » Salman Khursid, Minister of Water Resources. to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without government permission. Civil society representation (Five leading social activists). They are: Salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill: » Shanti Bhushan, Former Minister of Law and 1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and Justice, Co-Chairman; LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up. » Anna Hazare, Social Activist; » Prashant Bhushan, Lawyer; 2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, Copyright © 2011 | WWW.UPSCPORTAL.COM 4 UPSCPORTAL Current Affairs : http://upscportal.com/civilservices/current-affairs they will be completely independent of the gov- ernments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able 9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption to influence their investigations. agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti- corruption branch of CBI will be merged into 3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and for years anymore: Investigations in any case will machinery to independently investigate and pros- have to be completed in one year. Trial should be ecute any officer, judge or politician. completed in next one year so that the corrupt poli- tician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two 10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide years. protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption. 4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the gov- ernment will be recovered at the time of Some people have opined that the Jan Lokpal Bill conviction. is 'Naïve' in its approach to combating corruption. The Lokpal concept was criticized by the Human 5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work Resource Development (HRD) minister Kapil of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any Sibal because of concerns that it will lack account- government office, Lokpal will impose financial ability, oppresively, and undemocratically.The penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as claim that the Lokpal will be an extra-constitu- compensation to the complainant. tional body has been derided by Hazare’s closest lieutenant, Arvind Kejriwal. He states the Jan 6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration Lokpal Bill drafted by civil society will only in- card or passport or voter card is not being made vestigate corruption offences and submit a charge or if police is not registering your case or any other sheet which would then tried and prosecuted, work is not being done in prescribed time. through trial courts and higher courts. Kejriwal further states that the proposed bill also lists clear Lokpal will have to get it done in a month's time. provisions in which the Supreme Court can abol- You could also report any case of corruption to ish the Lokpal.Although Kejriwal has stated that Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor qual- all prosecutions will be carried out through trial ity roads been constructed or panchayat funds be- courts, the exact judicial powers of LokPal is rather ing siphoned off.