Lokpal bill to be focus at Lokayuktas Conference on Sep 22-23

New Delhi, Sep 21 (UNI) The draft of the Model Lokpal Bill for the Centre and the Central legislation for Lokayuktas of all the states would be deliberated at the Ninth All India Lokayuktas, Lokpal and Up-Lokayuktas Conference beginning tomorrow at Bangalore.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil would give the Valedictory Address at the two-day Conference on Sunday which would give a insight into the Centre's approach to the draft of the bill which is under the consideration of the Prime Minister and Group of Ministers of the Union Cabinet.

The Conference, at which legal luminaries and Lokayuktas of various states would participate, would deliberate on measures to make the ombudsman more effective so as to reduce corruption in public life.

It would also discuss the 'Role of Lokayuktas in ensuring Good Governance' and also ' The Role of Media, Political Parties and NGOs in eradicating corruption and maladministration.

The Report of the Administrative Reforms on the Rashtriya Lokayuktas or Lokpal at Centre and Lokayuktas of the State would also be deliberated at the Conference.

The Conference would be attended by former Supreme Court Judge and former Lokayukta of Karnataka N Venkatachala, Lokayukta of Delhi Justice Mohammad Shamim, Lokayukta of Maharashtra Justice G D Patil, Lokayukta of Orissa S C Mohapatra, Lokayukat of West Bengal Samaresh Banerjea, Lokayukta of Jharkhand Laksma Uroan and the Lokayukat of Uttar Pradesh.

The draft of the Lokpal legislation has courted controversy over the issue of whether to include the top three constitutional positions in the country-- the President, Vice-President and Prime Minister--under it. Although the then President A P J Abdul Kalam had openly favoured bringing even the President under the purview of the Lokpal, opinions differ on the issue.

UNI