Lokpal Bill to come up in Delhi assembly next week

The Delhi cabinet has cleared the Lokpal Bill, which brings the office of the chief minister under the preview of the proposed ombudsman. It should come up in the city assembly next week. It also stipulates that investigation by the Lokpal be completed in six months and trials be conducted in a time-bound manner.

The Bill was approved by the cabinet after a row in the assembly, where the Bharatiya Janata Party asked why it wasn't being passed despite the huge majority of the Aam Aadmi Party. The Congress, which has no seats in had the same question.

On the floor of the House, Leader of the Opposition, the BJP's Vijender Gupta, questioned the chief minister, saying "the Bill over which the AK-49 government resigned has forgotten the issue, this time despite a thumping majority. They have not even mentioned the Bill in the House."
 

It reached a point where the hashtag #KejriwalWhereIsLokpal, became a top trend on Twitter, hours before the assembly session started.

The Bill for a strong anti-corruption ombudsman, was one of the main election planks of Kejriwal's party, for the February assembly elections. But it was not among the six Bills listed for passage in the current session of the assembly.

The AAP government had, however, said it would be brought in this session, which ends next week.