Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Notice (8): Undefined variable: urlPrefix [APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp, line 8]latest-news-updates/team-anna-too-finds-fault-with-grievance-redressal-bill-by-himanshi-dhawan-11323.html"/> LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Team Anna too finds fault with grievance redressal bill by Himanshi Dhawan | Im4change.org
Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

Team Anna too finds fault with grievance redressal bill by Himanshi Dhawan


Team Anna on Thursday echoed concerns raised by Aruna Roy-led National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) on the government's grievance redressal bill.

Criticizing the structure for redressal created in the government bill as highly centralized that would collapse under the weight of complaints, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said the selection process was "faulty".

Activists have suggested that complaints be dealt with at the district level itself. Under the current grievance redressal draft, the first and second appeal for a grievance is within the department while a complainant will have to go to the state commission to pursue the third appeal. "This will mean that in just days, the commission with a handful of commissioners will collapse under the weight of complaints," Kejriwal said. There is also concern that a person will have to travel to the state capital for even small issues like delay in getting an electricity connection or ration card.

Team Anna has also objected to the selection process of the public grievance redressal commission, calling it faulty. "The government does not have any provision for compensation and the provision for penalty is so weak that it will never result in action," Kejriwal said.

He advocated the model adopted for grievance redressal by Uttarakhand while also demanding that citizen's charter, specifying a time limit on government departments for providing services, should be included in the Lokpal bill as it would help common people get their work done. "Citizen's charter in the Lokpal bill is a must. It will help people get their work done in a time-bound manner," Kejriwal said.

He said the charter was needed as government employees "deliberately" sit on files to cause delays and extract bribes. "Citizen's charter will effectively check this," he said. Inclusion of such a charter was one of the three key demands put forward by Team Anna for Anna Hazare to call off his hunger strike at Ramlila Maidan in August.

Parliament had urged the standing committee to consider this demand. However, the draft bill does not provide for a citizen's charter and, instead, the government has prepared a draft public grievances bill.

Another activist Kiran Bedi said the government's stand was not clear yet on the issue of bringing anti-corruption wing of CBI under Lokpal. "Anti-corruption wing of CBI must come under an independent Lokpal. (Government's stand is) not clear yet," she said.