Lokpal Bill gets Presidents nod

The Lokpal Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on December 17 and by the Lok Sabha the next day.

The much-awaited Lokpal Bill Wednesday got the assent from President Pranab Mukherjee,providing for creation of an anti-graft watchdog,which will bring under its purview even the Prime Minister with certain safeguards.

Immediately after receiving the order from Presidents office,Secretary,Legislative Affairs,P K Malhotra sent the Bill for publication in the official gazette.

However,the new law will not take effect immediately as the concerned administrative ministry will have to frame the relevant rules,in coordination with the Law Ministry,and then notify the date from which the law will take effect.

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The Lokpal Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on December 17 and by the Lok Sabha the next day. The Lok Sabha secretariat had Tuesday sent to the Law Ministry a copy of the Bill,which had been signed by Speaker Meira Kumar. The Bill was then forwarded to Rashtrapati Bhavan for the Presidents assent.

The Bill aims to set up Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states by law enacted by respective legislatures,preferably within one year of the Act coming into force.

The Bill was first passed by the Lok Sabha at the fag-end of the Winter Session of 2011. Later,a select committee of the Rajya Sabha suggested changes to the Bill,most of which were incorporated and approved by the Cabinet. Following this,the Rajya Sabha passed it.

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