Press Releases Archive

Dr.JP's letter to Chief Minister and all Floor leaders

11th June 2009

Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy
Chief Minister of AP
Government of Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad

Sub: Prevention of Corruption (Andhra Pradesh) Amendment Act, 2009

Dear Dr Rajasekhara Reddy garu,

Please recall the discussion in the Assembly on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address. You were also recently quoted in the media expressing your strong commitment to combat corruption. If the government is serious about its intention to combat corruption, we need to amend the current legal framework to make it more effective on the following lines:

1. Facilitate seizure and forfeiture of property of corrupt public servants
2. Establish special anti-corruption courts in each district
3. Appoint independent prosecutors drawn from judiciary
4. Establish an independent anti-corruption agency functioning under the overall supervision of Lokayukta
5. Presumption of guilt on public servants in case of disproportionate assets and those who are caught red-handed while accepting bribe.

We also require to enact a new law to integrate the myriad disciplinary procedures against erring public servants. Right now there is a complicated maze with multiplicity of agencies dealing with such matters: Departmental enquiry, Tribunal for disciplinary proceedings, Public Servants’ Inquiry Act, Commissionerate of Enquiries, Vigilance Commission and Lokayukta. We also need to integrate Lokayukta with the Vigilance Commission.

For the time being, as I promised in the House, I am sending you a carefully prepared draft Bill “Prevention of Corruption (Andhra Pradesh) Amendment Act, 2009”

I request you to convene an all party meeting on this subject of fighting corruption. This Bill has been prepared taking into account the recommendations of the Law Commission, Administrative Reforms Commission and other expert bodies. I request you to introduce the Bill in the ensuing Budget Session. I trust that you will act speedily to enact this legislation for combating Corruption.

I am sharing this communication with the Speaker of the Assembly, Chairman of Legislative Council, Minister of Law, Minister for Legislative Affairs, Leader of the opposition and all floor leaders of both Houses of AP Legislature.

With warm personal regards,

Sd/-

Jayaprakash Narayan

President

Encl: Draft legislation “Prevention of Corruption (Andhra Pradesh) Amendment Act, 2009”

Copy to:

1. The Speaker, A.P Legislative Assembly
2. The Chairman, A.P Legislative Council
3. The Leader of Opposition, A.P. Legislative Assembly
4. The Minister of Law, Government of A.P.
5. The Minister for Legislative Affairs
6. The Floor Leader, PRP
7. Floor Leader, TRS
8. Floor Leader, MIM
9. Floor Leader, CPI
10. The Floor Leader, BJP
11. Floor Leader, CPM

Saturday, June 13, 2009 - 07:23

Amend anti corruption law, Dr. JP suggests to CM

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has in a letter asked Chief Minister Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy to translate his intent to put an end to corruption by amending the Prevention of Corruption Act, which suffered from many lacunae.

Releasing copies of Dr. JP’s letter, party spokesmen Dr. P. Bhaskara Rao and G. Raja Reddy told the media that Dr. JP had sent copies of a draft Bill to amend the Act to the Speaker of the Assembly, Chairman of the Legislative Council, Chief Minister, Ministers for Law and Legislative Affairs, and leaders of the TDP, PRP, TRS, MIM, CPI, BJP and CPM in the legislature.

Pointing out that there are now six agencies dealing with public servants’ acts of corruption, Dr. JP said all of their functions should be integrated so that the guilty cannot go unscathed. He suggested that the Anti Corruption Bureau should be made autonomous and brought under the supervision of the Lok Ayukta. He wanted legislators and other elected public representatives to be brought under the ambit of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Dr. JP requested the Chief Minister to convene an all-party conference to discuss measures to eradicate corruption.

Referring to the Intermediate Board’s suspension of principals for low percentage of passes, the party spokesmen said such actions would not serve the purpose. A solution lay in creation of basic amenities in colleges, appointment of more teaching staff and improvement in teaching methods.

Friday, June 12, 2009 - 20:38

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