Kejriwal govt does a U-turn, won't table anti-graft Jan Lokpal Bill in Delhi Assembly today
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- Category: Delhi political News
- Last Updated: Thursday, 22 January 2015 20:54
Arvind Kejriwal government won't table anti-graft Jan Lokpal Bill today,Kejriwal may quit today:
New Delhi: In a dramatic turnaround, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will not be tabling the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly, reports said on Thursday.
The reports said that the AAP government will circulate the copies of the bill to all the lawmakers before tabling it.
Earlier, reports had said that the Delhi government will table the controversial Jan Lokpal Bill in the state Assembly today.
The Chief Minister, who looks prepared for a showdown with the Centre, had earlier warned that he "will go to any extent" to get the bill passed in the Assembly. As per 'ZeeNews'
Mr Kejriwal has threatened to quit if his pet proposal, which creates an ombudsman or "Lokpal" to investigate corrupt government officers, is not tabled. He has rejected the Centre's view that the bill cannot be debated by Delhi legislators till it is vetted by the union Home Ministry under a 2002 law, as the Jan Lokpal would be funded at least in part by the Centre.
"The Lieutenant-Governor has the right to advise the Delhi government that they can't introduce the bill since it might violate the Constitution, a bill must not be presented until the President's consent," Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal said on Wednesday.
The Law Ministry has advised Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung that he can red flag Mr Kejriwal's bill even if it is cleared by the Delhi assembly as it overlaps with the national Lokpal law passed by Parliament in December. Sources say the Congress, which provides external support to AAP and does not want to be seen as opposing an anti-corruption measure ahead of the national election, due by May, could see this as a way out of their dilemma.
Today, the AAP government has to reply to the Delhi High Court's notice to justify its proposed public session at a city stadium to discuss the Jan Lokpal bill, despite security concerns.
Source: 'NDTV'