-The Times of India
Activist Arvind Kejriwal said the team hoped that chief minister Nitish Kumar, who had on June 30 promised Team Anna that he would enact a strong Lokayukta law, brings a strong bill on the lines of the one passed by Uttarakhand assembly. "Bihar government’s proposed Lokayukta bill is a copy of the much-criticised Centre’s draft against which Anna sat on a fast," Kejriwal said.
Another Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said the proposed Lokayukta bill of Bihar was a "replica" of the Centre’s Lokpal against which they had all agitated. "Jan Lokpal bill is an absolute necessity for standardization," she said.
Among the clauses that were part of the government Lokpal bill and have found a place in the Bihar anti-corruption draft include government control over selection, suspension and removal of Lokayukta. The draft also says the Lokayukta needs permission from government to investigate and prosecute any government officer and punishment to a complainant if he files a frivolous complaint and punishment for a corrupt officer is the same, six months to five years.
As per the draft, corrupt officers will also get free legal assistance provided by government against the complainant, Kejriwal said. "These are the same provisions that were there in central government’s draft Lokpal bill and Anna sat on a fast against these provisions. We sincerely wish thatNitish Kumar brings a strong Lokayukta bill on the lines of Uttarakhand," he added.