New Delhi: Several anti-corruption Bills have been introduced in Parliament by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government including the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill 2011, which has been one of the major demands of Anna Hazare and his supporters. The second major legislation that will help the citizens of the country is the Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011.
While the Lokpal Bill deals with corruption cases, the Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, popularly known as Citizen's Charter Bill, deals with providing services in a time-bound manner.
Under the Bill every public authority is required to publish a Citizens Charter specifying the category of goods supplied and services rendered by it, the time frame within which such goods shall be supplied or services be rendered; to establish information and facilitation centre for efficient and effective delivery of services and redressal of grievances and to designate Grievance Redress Officers (GRO) in all public authorities to enquire into and redress any complaints from citizens.
The Bill provides for constitution of the State Public Grievance Redressal Commission and the Central Public Grievance Redressal Commission for respective appeals against the decision of GRO and imposition of penalties in case of failure on the part of designated official responsible for delivery of goods and services or GRO. The designed authority at the grass-root level will have powers to redress most of the grievances at the district and sub-district level.
Foreign Bribery Bill
The Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organizations Bill, 2011 was introduced in the Monsoon Session of the Parliament and is presently before the Department Related Parliament Standing Committee.
According to the proposed law, any person "holding a legislative, executive, administrative or judicial office of a foreign country" found accepting or giving bribe to secure a contract in India would be liable to be punished for up to seven years in India.
Even the "abetment" of such offences would be a criminal offence under the proposed bill. The Bill "makes provisions declaring the (bribery) as extraditable offence".
GoM on tackling corruption
A Group of Ministers (GoM) was constituted by the Government in January, 2011 to consider measures that can be taken by the Government to tackle corruption. The GoM has submitted its First Report which has already been accepted by the Government with some minor modifications. Action has been initiated by the Government towards implementation of these accepted recommendations.
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