Parliamentary Panel Reviews Anti-Corruption Bill Suggestions with Focus on Preventing Permanent Disqualification

The parliamentary panel has started the process to adopt suggestions on the anti-corruption bill. Its draft report acknowledges that most stakeholders have considered the clause removing the prime minister, chief minister or ministers from office if they have been detained continuously for 30 days to be "constitutionally time-barred" as it has no bearing on the judicial outcome of a conviction. According to sources, one of the suggestions in the draft report is that the bill should have a "sunset" or "automatic reversal" clause. Under this, if a person is acquitted or the prosecution fails to pursue the case in a time-bound manner, the bar on holding office will automatically be removed. This, they say, will ensure that removal on the basis of an unproven charge does not actually translate into permanent disqualification of office. The draft report, with the support of most members of the panel, can be amended once it has been passed by the Lok Sabha, with the possibility of the government raising objections to the clause to make the arrest 30 days longer.