Right to Information activist Arvind Kejriwal has been in the forefront of the massively publicised movement to demand a Lokpal Bill. A close associate of Gandhian Anna Hazare, Kejriwal has staunchly defended the movement and rebuffed many allegations made against civil society activists by the ruling Congress party. He has also taken on senior Congress leaders like Digvijaya Singh and Pranab Mukherjee who had taken pot shots at Hazare's movement.
The government on Wednesday said it wants to bring the bill to set up anti-corruption ombudsman, Lokpal, in Rajya Sabha during the first part of the current Budget session of Parliament.
Team Anna member N Santosh Hegde on Friday blamed all political parties for non-passage of the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha, saying it was "choreographed by everybody".
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday questioned the Centre's decision of sending two drafts of Lokpal Bill for consideration and demanded that the government be clear before seeking states' views on the proposed legislation.
With the government making a fresh bid to end the stalemate over Lokpal Bill, Congress top brass including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi held deliberations ahead of the all-party meeting on Friday.
Ahead of Anna Hazare's dharna in New Delhi on Sunday, government on Friday said Team Anna should await the passage of the Lokpal Bill before going ahead with any agitation on the issue.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday threatened to "go to any extent" over his pet anti-graft legislation, the Jan Lokpal bill, which is opposed both by the Congress, whose continued support is essential for the survival of his government, as well as the BJP.
After having shaken up the United Progressive Alliance government through his fast at the Ramlila Grounds, Anna Hazare has now decided to focus on the Congress party as his enemy number 1.
The Lokpal bill is expected to be brought in the Rajya Sabha on Monday with some key amendments including removal of the provisions for setting up of Lokayuktas in states.
Close on the heels of activist Anna Hazare threatening another round of agitation about the Lokpal Bill, the government, Team Anna and opposition parties Bharatiya Janata Party and Communist Party of India Marxist on Saturday said they were ready for an open dialogue on a strong anti-corruption bill. "The doors are open and we have never shut it. Rather, it was Team Anna which had slammed the door on us," Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid said.
Attacking the government on the issue of corruption, the Bharatiya Janata Pary on Tuesday said that it has reached such proportion that it would not be removed by merely passing the Lokpal Bill or other such laws
The Lok Pal Bill has been referred to the standing committee of Parliament on personnel, public grievances, law and hustice. In this FAQ, MR Madhavan explains the process of these committees.
Mukherjee, along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister PK Bansal and Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal, held meetings with BSP leader Satish C Mishra and RJD chief Lalu Prasad as the debate was underway in the Rajya Sabha in effort to woo them
The Lokpal drafting panel which was constituted with great difficulty will continue to function the way it is with Justice N Santhosh Hegde deciding to stay on in the panel. Hegde spoke with Vicky Nanjappa following his decision to stay on in the panel.
"What was even more shocking that even someone like Anna Hazare, who was spearheading the movement against rising corruption in the country, did not care to ensure inclusion of a Dalit on the committee. After all he hails from Maharastra which gave birth to the greatest Dalit icon Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, who led several movements for the upliftment of the downtrodden dalits," Mayawati said.
Indian Administrative Services officer Alka Sirohi, the key coordinator for the drafting of the Lokpal Bill, has been appointed as a Member of the Union Public Service Commission.
Anna Hazare on Saturday wrote a fresh letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying doubts have arisen over whether Lokpal Bill will be passed by December 23 when Parliament session gets over and threatened to go ahead with his proposed fast and 'jail bharo' agitation.
The parliamentary standing committee going into the Lokpal Bill will complete its work "soon", its chairman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said on Sunday.
The Opposition in Maharashtra boycotted the government's customary tea party on the eve of the Winter session, citing its failure to appoint leaders of the opposition (LoPs) in both houses of the state legislature.
Terming the joining of hands of civil society and government on the Lokpal Bill issue as a step that augurs well for democracy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said the government intended to introduce the "historic legislation" in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The much-debated Lokpal Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday amid objections from the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies of the National Democratic Alliance over the exclusion of the prime minister from the purview of the proposed legislation.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal is all set to quit as chief minister of Delhi after his plans to introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi legislature failed.
"Nothing to worry, I will not die till the Lokpal Bill is passed," social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday said as worries over his health mounted on the 10th day of his fast.
Anna expressed apprehension that the Centre may pose obstructions as the legislation provides for probing corruption in Delhi, where the central government offices are located.
The Delhi Cabinet on Friday decided to call a special session of Assembly to take up the Jan Lokpal Bill, which seeks life term as maximum punishment for corrupt babus, on February 16 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium instead of historic Ramlila ground as announced earlier.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley has written to activist Anna Hazare, who is currently on an indefinite fast to demand the passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill.
A core member of Team Anna and expert of food security, Devinder Sharma, told rediff.com that there is a debate going on within Team Anna whether the Gandhian should hold his proposed fast to press for a stringent Lokpal Bill from December 27 in Mumbai.
Accusing the government of reducing the meetings of the joint committee to a mere "show of formality", Gandhian Anna Hazare expressed surprise that the government told them that finally two Bills will be sent to the Cabinet -- one drafted by the civil society and one by the government representatives.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday night his government plans to introduce Jan Lokpal bill in the assembly on Friday and renewed his threat of resigning if the proposed legislation was defeated by Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party.
The Constitutional (116 amendment) bill, which will have to be passed by a two-thirds majority of Parliament, is the enabling bill that would enable the law-makers to grant the Lokpal constitutional status. If that is not passed, it will also mean the end of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas bill. Sheela Bhatt reports.
The Constitutional (116 amendment) bill, which will have to be passed by a two-thirds majority of Parliament, is the enabling bill that would enable the law-makers to grant the Lokpal constitutional status. If that is not passed, it will also mean the end of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas bill. Sheela Bhatt reports.
Social activist and close aide of Anna Hazare, Prashant Bhushan, said that the move would help their cause and will let people know the truth.
President Pratibha Patil, who is on a ten-day vacation in Hyderabad, is expected to meet Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders when she returns to New Delhi.
Anna Hazare on Wednesday broke his nine-day fast at his village Ralegan Siddhi shortly after Lok Sabha passed the Lokpal Bill, and announced he would form "watchdog bodies" comprising people of "impeccable integrity" to keep an eye on how the law is enforced.
The Delhi high court on Wednesday sought a response from the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on plea seeking to restrain it from holding session outside the assembly to fulfill the poll promise of clearing the Jan Lokpal Bill.
Team Anna proved to be a big hit in Lucknow where thousands converged on the banks of the Gomati river to cheer social activist Arvind Kejriwal and others who swore to not just unseat corrupt politicians but to bring grassroots changes in the system of governance.
Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party for opposing the constitutional status to the Lokpal, the ruling Congress party on Thursday accused the former of suffering from political amnesia, and said the Parliament has the right to make law of India.
As Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal remains adamant on his stand of resigning if the Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed in the ongoing Assembly session, Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on Friday said that the ombudsman bill cannot be tabled as it has not been approved by him.
After much delay, the landmark Lokpal Bill was on Tuesday passed by the Rajya Sabha, marking a step closer to enactment of a new law under which an anti-corruption ombudsman would be set up.
People must vote against the ruling alliance at Centre led by Congress if it failed to pass the Jan Lokpal bill in the ongoing winter session of Parliament, social activist and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi said at Ralegan Siddhi village where Anna Hazare is observing fast for passage of the bill.
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