The Lokpal is unlikely to be a reality in 2013. Despite the UPA government pushing through the amended Lokpal Bill and the new-found bonhomie between the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP, it is yet to reach Rashtrapati Bhavan for President Pranab Mukherjee’s assent.
Sources said the Lokpal Bill is still making the bureaucratic rounds due to internal procedural wrangles. After the Lok Sabha passed the Bill on December 18, the legislation was sent to the Law Ministry for final vetting. Once the Law Ministry returns the Lokpal Bill to Lok Sabha and Speaker Meira Kumar finally signs on every clause of the amended Bill, it will go to Rashtrapati Bhavan. The process is likely to take more than a week’s time.
Normally, the President takes two days to go through the Bill before giving assent. Once the President’s assent is given, the Bill becomes the law, Lokpal Act 2013. With the announcement of the general elections likely in the last week of February and model code of conduct coming into force immediately, in all probability the new government, after formation of the 16th Lok Sabha in May 20-14, would be able to take credit for appointment of India’s first national anti-corruption ombudsman, the Lokpal, since Independence.
Meanwhile, the UPA government is contemplating extending the winter session and convene Parliament in the first week of February. Though the UPA-1 had convened the winter session of 14th Lok Sabha from February 12, 2009 and adjourned sine die on February 26, 2009, this time the government wanted to extend the winter session till February 2014. Both Houses of Parliament have adjourned sine die and is yet to be prorogued.
Sources said with the Election Commission wanting to conduct the 16th Lok Sabha elections in over five phases and advance the announcement of general elections by a week to the last week of February, the government wants to convene Parliament session from the first week to third week of February.
Though the government was initially planning to hold the session in January last week, it decided against it in view of the Republic Day celebrations, beating the retreat and visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Taking a cue from the Delhi Assembly poll result and emergence of Aam Aadmi Party, the UPA government wanted to push through the anti-corruption bills such as Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013, the Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011, the Public Procurement Bill and Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill. After passing the Lokpal Bill, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi made a strong pitch for more legislations to weed out corruption and sought the cooperation of all political parties to pass the Bill during this session.
Sources said that Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2013, meant to create a separate Telangana state, is likely to be returned by the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in the last week of January so that it can be introduced in the session, besides going for a Vote-on-Account for 2014-15 instead of a regular Budget.
The term of the 15th Lok Sabha comes to an end on May 31, 2014. Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath has already announced that the next general elections would be held in multiple phases and the process will be completed in time to constitute the 16th Lok Sabha by June 1, 2014. The Election Commission will also hold elections to Assemblies in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim along with the general elections.