Sunday, April 10, 2011

Joint Drafting Committee of Jan Lokpal Bill

Hazare offered water to women, among the over 300 activists who had joined the fast saying it was a victory of people's power thereafter celebrations broke out instantaneously in the capital and cities across the country."This just the beginning of the fight against corruption. Our responsibility has now increased," the 73-year-old social activist said, setting 15th August as the deadline for the passage of the Lok Pal Bill.In a brief speech he made speech after he broke his fast, he said it was just the beginning of a long struggle ahead and would lead the fight for the "second struggle for independence".He declared he would not rest content with the anti-graft legislation but fight for reforms of the electoral system, including the provision for 'right to recall' of elected representatives from the gram panchayat level.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh issued a statement saying the government intends to introduce the "historic legislation" in the Monsoon session of Parliament.Dr. Singh described the coming together of civil society and government on the Lok Pal Bill issue as a step that augurs well for democracy, saying it signifies the mutual resolve to combat corruption."I am pleased that Anna Hazare has agreed to give up his fast," he said after his ministers worked out a deal with Hazare's emissaries last night to bring to end the protest at Jantar Mantar.The notification by the Ministry of Law and Justice said the Joint Drafting Committee to prepare a draft of the Lok Pal Bill will have five Ministers from the government and five nominees of Hazare, including himself.
The five Ministers are Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Chairperson, Home Minister P Chidamabaram, Law Minister Veerappa Moily (Convenor), HRD Minister Kapil Sibal and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid.
The civil society will be represented by Hazare, former Supreme Court judge N Santosh Hegde, former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan (Co-Chairperson), lawyer Prashant Bhushan and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal.

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