Himachal Assembly passed Lokayukta bill; Congress boycotts

In the move to make more powerful and effective Lokaykta, the Himachal Pradesh assembly Friday passed the recent drafted bill amid noise and boycott movement.

The members of the congress party were absent during the voting. Congress Party is the main opposition party in Himachal Pradesh.

Tabling the bill for voting, Chief Minister and Bhartiya Janta Party leader Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Himachal Pradesh's Lokayukta bill is stronger and constitutional than that of Uttarakhand.

"That (Uttarakhand) bill has not so far been given assent by the president due to some legal hitches, but our bill is fully constitutional and comprehensive," Dhumal said.

Appreciating the bill draft, Dhumal said the bill gives the Lokayukta powers of contempt of court on par with the high court by incorporating a new clause.

"The Lokayukta shall have and exercise the same jurisdiction, powers and authority in respect of contempt of itself as a high court has and may exercise, and, for this purpose, the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, shall have the effect subject to the modification that the references therein to a high court shall be construed as including a reference to the Himachal Lokayukta," says the clause.

Dhumal said the bill gives the Lokayukta powers of contempt of court on par with the high court by incorporating a new clause.

However, on the contrary, Team Anna member and struggler for strong Lokpal and Lokaykta bill, Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, before introducing this bill in the assembly had criticized this bill and called it "very weak and ineffective". He had asked the state to follow the Uttarakhand system of Lokayukta.

--With IANS Input--