The current debate on the Lokpal Bill is split along two lines: the UPA’s draft and that of Team Anna Hazare. But now, not just the political establishment, other sections of “civil society” are standing up to call for a wider debate and cautioning against a rush to push any version through. So while the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council may have made it clear that it wouldn’t discuss the Lokpal...
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Sonia-ratified food security bill on govt's court by Nitin Sethi
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has formally sent the proposed National Food Security bill to the government on behalf of theNational Advisory Council (NAC) that she chairs. Setting all doubts at rest about where she stands, the bill explicitly seeks that the subsidized rations be provided to at least 90% of rural population, and 50% of urban India. It urges the government to ensure that at least 46% and 28% of...
More »Aruna Roy cautions against haste in passage of Lokpal Bill by Vidya Subrahmaniam
NCPRI proposes bringing PM under Lokpal, suggests basket of anti-corruption measures The National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) has proposed bringing the Prime Minister under the Lokpal with the safeguard that the executive head can only be investigated on the recommendation of the full benches of the Lokpal and the Supreme Court. At a consultative meeting held here on Friday, the NCPRI, which has two National Advisory Council members, Aruna...
More »Power centre or toothless body? by Akshat Kaushal
Why is the ruling party unable to pass 3 very important bills? The National Advisory Council draws its exalted status from the fact that UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi heads it. But its inability to get its way on three new Bills indicates that its influence is waning. A couple of weeks ago, the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) cleared the drafts of two significant Bills — the Food Security Bill and...
More »Third Lokpal alternative in the offing by Vidya Subrahmaniam
With two rival versions of the Lokpal Bill already competing for public attention, the stage now seems to have been set for the emergence of a third alternative, courtesy the National Campaign for the People's Right to Information (NCPRI). On July 6, the NCPRI, whose working committee includes National Advisory Council (NAC) member Aruna Roy, will present an “alternative approach” to the rival Lokpal Bills, drafted separately after talks broke down...
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