Lok Satta Launching Public Campaign on Lokpal

The Lok Satta Party has decided to launch a campaign from July 15 to 17 to mobilize public opinion for the creation of strong and independent anti corruption mechanisms at both the Central and State levels.

It will organize round table conferences and collect at least a million signatures seeking establishment of a Lokpal at the Center, Lokayuktas in States, and ombudsmen in districts.

The Lok Satta Party decided on this plan of action at a meeting of top leaders at the party headquarters here today. Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan presided. Mr. D. V. V. S. Varma, Working President, and other State leaders took part in the meeting.

The Lokpal Bill rightly focuses on corruption at the top but ignores corruption at the State and district levels where its incidence is most. The Lok Satta Party therefore wants the Union Government to incorporate creation of Lokayutkas in States and ombudsmen in districts in the Lokpal Bill.

The party wants the Lok Pal to cover Chief Ministers. Vigilance Commissions at the Central and State levels shall be made ex-officio members of the Lokpal and Lokayutkas. The anti corruption wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation shall be brought under Lokpal’s purview and anti corruption bureaus in States under Lokayuktas’ purview.