Lok Sabha passes Lokpal and Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2016

The Lok Sabha passed the Lokpal and Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2016 without discussion. 

The bill seeks to amend the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 which provides Lokpal (at Centre) and Lokayukta (at States) statutory backing to inquire into allegations of corruption against certain public functionaries and for related matters. 

Key Provisions 

• Enable the leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha in the absence of a recognised Leader of Opposition to be a member of the selection committee that would select the ombudsman. 
• Amends section 44 of parent Act that deals with provision of furnishing of details of assets and liabilities of public servants within 30 days of joining the government service. 
• The amendment has removed the period of 30 days. Now the public servants will make declaration of their assets and liabilities in the form and manner as prescribed by government. 
• Gives extension of the time given to public servants and trustees and board members of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to declare their assets and those of their spouses. 
• In this case public servants and trustees and board members of NGOs must be receiving government funds of more than Rs. 1 crore or foreign funding of more than Rs. 10 lakh.
• 
  

Lok Sabha passes Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2015

The Lok Sabha has passed comprehensive Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2015 to curb domestic black money.

The comprehensive amendment bill seeks to amend and strengthen Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Act, 1988 in terms of legal and administrative procedure.

Key Features of Bill 

• The Bill seeks to 
• (i) Amend the definition of benami transactions to widen the scope for legal action 
• (ii) Specify penalties for entering into benami transactions and 
• (iii) establish adjudicating authorities and Appellate Tribunal to deal with benami transactions. It add other transactions which qualify as benami, such as property transactions where: 
• (i) the owner is not aware or denies knowledge of the ownership of the property, 
• (ii) transaction is made in a fictitious name 
• (iii) person providing the consideration for the property is not traceable. 
• The Bill also adds provisions to establish an Appellate Tribunal in order to hear appeals against any orders passed by the Adjudicating Authority. Appeals against orders of the Appellate Tribunal will lie to the high court. The Bill specifies the penalty for providing false information.
• The punishment includes rigorous imprisonment ranging from 6 months up to 5 years, and a fine which may extend to 25% of the fair market value of the benami property. 
• It also intends to effectively prohibit benami transactions and consequently prevent circumvention of law through unfair practices. It empowers the Union Government to confiscate benami property by following due procedure. Therefore it promotes equity across all citizens. 
• The Bill provides immunity under the Benami Act to those who declare their benami properties under income declaration scheme. 

What is a ‘benami’ transaction? 

In literally sense benami means ‘nameless’ or ‘without a name’. The benami transaction refers to property purchased by a person in the name of some other person. In such transactions, the person who pays for the property is directly or indirectly ultimate beneficiary of the property in the future.