Press Releases Archive

Dr. JP welcomes decision to amend Prevention of Corruption Act

Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today described the Union Cabinet decision to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act providing for confiscation of ill-gotten properties of corrupt public servants and imposing a time frame for sanction of prosecution as "small and positive steps" in the fight against corruption.

In a media statement, he said that corruption cannot be exorcized unless a number of other steps are initiated without further delay.

Dr. JP listed them as follows:

  • Institution of strong and independent anti corruption mechanisms like Lokpal and Lokayuktas at the Central and State levels
  • Grant of autonomy to the CBI at the Center and ACBs in States
  • Appointment of independent prosecutors at the Central and State levels
  • Transfer of prosecution powers from the Government to independent authorities like Lokpal/Lokayuktas
  • Formation of special courts as recommended by Lokpal/Lokayuktas
  • Enactment of a law providing for service guarantee to eliminate petty corruption at grass roots

Dr. JP hoped the Union Government would take follow up measures to end the menace of corruption.

Thursday, May 2, 2013 - 18:44

CBI and ACBs must be liberated from political control: Dr.JP

CBI's admission in the Supreme Court that it had shared its report on coal mine allocations with the Government of India is a grim reminder of the political control over investigative processes, commented Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan in a media statement here today.

"Gong by the CBI's admission, it is reasonable to assume that the Government actually sought to influence the report and thereby the investigative process.

"Political interference in crime investigation undermines the independence and impartiality of the investigative agency and erodes public confidence in the system.

"If that is the plight of the CBI whose Director is appointed by the Vigilance Commission, which itself is appointed by a bipartisan high power body comprising among others the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition, we can imagine the state of ordinary crime investigation in States."

Dr. JP said that despite repeated Supreme Court directives and many expert body recommendations for independent crime investigation, it continues to be under political control. ACBs in States are under total political control ranging from appointment of director and investigating officers to grant of permission for investigation and prosecution.

Dr. JP appealed to all political parties to bury their differences and use the episode to liberate crime investigation from political control. The CBI at the national level and ACBs and CBCID at the State level should be enabled to function fairly, impartially and independently. The Second Administrative Reforms Commission had provided an effective and practical road map for reforms.

Dr. JP said that he is confident that the Supreme Court will enforce independence of the premier investigative agencies at the national and state levels.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013 - 17:38

Lok Satta getting ready for local body elections

The Lok Satta Party's State Working Committee at its first meeting here today decided to organize training camps for its leaders at the grass roots level in a bid to prepare them for local body elections scheduled from June 2013.

Giving this information in a media statement, State Party President Katari Srinivasa Rao and General Secretary Ravi Maruth said a State-level training program for District Working Committee members will be organized in Hyderabad and a regional-level program for District Council members at two places in Coastal Andhra and at one place each in Rayalaseema and Telangana. The training programs are scheduled for May 2013.

District level leaders will be briefed on party policies and programs and the strategy to be adopted in local body elections.

The Working Committee decided to hold organizational elections in West Godavari and NRI districts as also in some constituencies which had been deferred for various reasons, in May 2013. To facilitate pending constituency-level elections, a supplementary voters' list will be published.

The President and the General Secretary told the Working Committee that the conduct of internal elections has galvanized the party. The two leaders, who undertook a whirlwind visit to Coastal Andhra districts from April 22 to 25, said that a large number of people took up party membership in the wake of the organizational elections.

Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 21:47

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