Lokpal Bill for Dummies

What is the Lokpal Bill?
The Lokpal Bill was introduced in 1968.But due to some reasons, the bill lapsed. It was subsequently reintroduced in years 1971,1977,1985,1996,1998,2001,2005 and 2008.
Activists proposed an improvement over the original Lokpal Bill, called the Jan Lokpal Bill, which is presently under fire.
Lokpal Bill was made for checking the malpractices within governmental organisations, and act as general anti-corruption law.

Anna Hazare

Incidentally, the term Lokpal was coined by L.M.Singhvi, an MP, in a parliament debate, and his son, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi, head of Standing commitee, is a member in the panel reviewing the bill.
What is special about the Bill?
It establishes a central government institution for anti-corruption called Lokpal.
This bill acts as a public ombudsman bill, meaning, that a representative of the Lokpal lodges and investigates complaints of individuals against the Government.
The lokpal will be supported at the state level by its respective Lokayuktas.
The Lokpal will be supervised by the Cabinet Secretary and the EC(Election Commission), just like the Supreme Court.Thus, making itself free from any ministerial influences.
Each case under the Lokpal must be closed within a time frame of 2 years, which includes investigations and trails.
The most important feature of the Lokpal is that it provides protection to whistleblowers.
Also, the existing anti corruption agencies like Central Vigilance Commission(CVC) and the anti-corruption wing of Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) will come under the Lokpal.
Who will head this institution?
The members of Lokpal institution will be selected by a selection commitee consisting of Judges, IAS officers with a clean record and private citizens through a transperent and participatory process. A video-recording of the candidates' interviews will be released to the public shortly afterwards.
This was the original content of the Bill. The government's version is modification of the original.
The government's version is the root of all the uprisings and debates.
The government's version differs from the original in the following ways-
1)Only group A officers will be under the investigative purview of the Lokpal.
2)Complaints against Lokpal members will be handled by the Lokpal itself and no independent boards will be setup.
3)The Anti-corruption wing of the CBI will not be under the Lokpal.
4)No protection to whistle blowers by Lokpal.
5)The Prime Minister can be investigated by Lokpal only after the said person vacates the office.
These issues are much debated in the present times.
The activists are demanding that the government's bill is of no use.It will not punish or check corruption.It's a 'Toothless' Lion.

Abhishek Singhvi

The government is demanding that setting up a Lokpal with such powers is as good as setting up a draconian establishment parallel to the existing democratic government.
For more information on the current developments on the Bill, and the people involved in it, refer to http://www.indiaagainstcorruption.org/index1.html