Narvekar gives notice for pvt member's Lokayukta Bill

PANAJI: Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar has given notice for introduction of a new private member's Lokayukta Bill in the Goa assembly, scheduled to meet on October 5. The bill is more or less on the lines of the Karnataka Lokayukta Bill.
Confirming this, the Congress MLA, who has twice been speaker of the assembly and a former law minister, said he has sent notice for the assembly to consider and pass the private members bill on Friday, October 7, it being a private member's day.
The notice says, "I am enclosing draft of Lokayukta bill which I want to introduce being a private members day and will also like the assembly to pass it on the same day. If there are some infirmities or any difficulties, you can come back to me and I will be able to guide you in the matter."
Narvekar said he being a lawyer by profession could guide the government on the subject.
Unfortunately the government has not yet circulated to MLAs the new Lokayukta Draft Bill 2011, submitted by the law commission to the chief minister for them to study and react to it. Narvekar said, "I don't know how serious the government is about passing the Lokayukta Bill. I have my doubts that it will be passed in this session. Let's see how government reacts to my private member's bill."
Narvekar said the Lokayukta Bill passed by the Goa assembly in 2003 had no problems. The central government had asked for clarifications on a couple of clauses and for over eight years, the state government had slept on it. "I am not confident of the government doing anything on it and hence my notice."
He said the Karnataka Lokayukta Bill is a time tested bill. "I don't think there should be any problems with it. The bill should be passed. I am not sure there will be another session in this assembly," Narvekar said.
He suggested that the 2003 bill can be withdrawn and the private member's bill introduced and passed the same day. If there are any difficulties, the assembly session could be extended by a day. "If Parliament can sit for one whole day to pass a resolution, why can't the Goa assembly sit for one more day to pass an important bill?" Narvekar asked.
Narvekar said if one sees the history of Indian governments, they have passed many bills in a single day. "If there is a will, there is a way out for everything."
Sources said the draft Lokayukta Bill 2011 submitted by the law commission headed by Ramakant Khalap will go before the business advisory committee for discussions on Monday.
No political party has so far commented on the draft bill which the government proposes to introduce in the assembly next month.
When contacted speaker Pratapsingh Rane said he has not seen any private member's bill since he was out of town. "The business advisory committee meeting is scheduled on Monday and they will see it," he said and added that the Lokayukta Bill has already been passed by the assembly and all it requires is a few amendments for it to become law. "However, I will have a look at what is being sent. It is for the assembly to vote and for the assembly to decide."
Former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde told TOI that the best step for the government would be to go ahead and notify the 2003 bill after incorporating the clarifications sought by the Centre, and later bring amendments to the Lokayukta Act incorporating provisions brought in by the draft bill of the law commission. The amendments can be discussed through and agreed upon. What Goa requires urgently is a Lokayukta to address the grievances of the people.
Rane endorsed Justice Santosh Hegde's line of thought of making the 2003 bill a law.