The government on Tuesday wondered why Team Anna keeps on issuing warnings when the Centre has repeatedly announced its commitment to bring a strong Lokpal Bill at the earliest.
In the 243-member Rajya Sabha, Congress and its allies do not not have a majority with its number placed at 92 and needs the support of the MPs of these parties supporting the government from outside.
Threatening to launch a "big protest" for a strong Lokpal bill, social activist Anna Hazare on Friday said that the government will have to go if it does not bring a strong anti-corruption law.
As Anna Hazare's fast entered the fifth day, his team on Saturday demanded early introduction of the Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament and said government can get it passed in days if it has the will.
The text of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's opening remarks at the all party meeting on Lokpal Bill
Activist Anna Hazare on Saturday blamed Rahul Gandhi for encouraging Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, chairman of the Standing Committee of Law and Justice, Public Grievances and Personnel, for overlooking the letter written by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Watch all the action from the Upper House of Parliament LIVE on rediff.com
Unfazed by the solicitor general's opinion, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said he would write to the Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on plans to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill without the Centre's concurrence.
The new draft aimed at checking political and administrative corruption, which was presented to the government at the joint drafting committee meeting on Lokpal, retained the original provision to bring judges of the higher judiciary within the ambit of the Lokpal, notwithstanding the reservations of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.
The whole approach of the civil society activists is legalistic, with an unbounded faith in laws as cure for all. In India we have a plethora of laws but very little law and order. It is essential that any solution for corruption must involve political scientists, management experts, administrators in order to work out laws and institutions that work, says Colonel Anil Athale (retd)
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday met eminent social activist Anna Hazare and other activists who are spearheading the initiative 'India Against Corruption'.The activists told the PM that the country expected meaningful reforms to tackle corruption in public life. "I appreciate and share your concerns on corruption," the PM assured the group, which also comprised Kiran Bedi and Swami Agnivesh.Dr Singh requested Hazare not to carry out his threat of going on a fast.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee going into the Lokpal Bill has recommended keeping the judiciary and the MPs' conduct in the House out of its purview and rejected the demand for hiving off the anti-corruption wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation to come under its jurisdiction.
On the eve of introduction of a new Lokpal bill in Parliament, Shiv Sena on Wednesday appealed to political parties to stop a "new Gaddafi" from taking birth.
Swaraj Abhiyan leader Prashant Bhushan on Friday claimed the Delhi government's new Janlokpal Bill is different from what was drafted during the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement, as the appointment and removal of an independent ombudsman will now be done by the state government.
"I have a given a notice for discussion on Lokpal in the Rajya Sabha. The Business Advisory Committee will decide on the date for discussion," Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V Narayanasamy told PTI.
"We will wait for the passing of the bill till the current session of Parliament comes to an end in May. If it does not happen we will have another one and half year before the next general elections are held."
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said the refusal of former Supreme Court judge K T Thomas to head the Lokpal Search Committee has dealt a "double blow" to the government and exposed the Congress' plan of hurriedly putting in place the anti-corruption ombudsman before it goes out of power.
Arguing that Anna Hazare should not deride democratic institutions, National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy on Saturday said the Gandhian was "ill-advised" as there was still scope for the civil society group to change the government's version of Lokpal Bill.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad on Tuesday had the Lok Sabha in splits when he suggested that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should be selected as the first Lokpal as he was an honest person.
All India Congress Committee General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Friday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apparently to discuss the Lokpal issue.
Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde on Thursday said he was reconsidering his decision to be on the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill, apparently upset over the vilification campaign against the anti-graft panel.
Can the proposed 11-member Lokpal contest elections after demitting office? This ticklish issue came up at the sixth meeting of the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill on June 15, which the Anna Hazare team boycotted.
A parliamentary committee has recommended delinking creation of Lokayuktas from the Lokpal Bill, a provision that was strongly opposed by cpolitical parties including those supporting the United Progressive Alliance.
The Parliamentary panel examining the Lokpal Bill on Monday began finalising its report with a large section of members favouring enacting a single law to set up the anti-corruption ombudsman at the Centre and the states.
Slamming the demand for a Jan Lokpal Bill to battle corruption, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Friday said corruption can be checked only through a strong democracy and not through an "extra-constitutional body" like Jan Lokpal.
Pushing for passage of the Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday rejected demands for bringing the Central Bureau of Investigation under the purview of the anti-graft ombudsman, warning that no entity should be created inconsistent with the country's Constitutional framework.
Raising their pitch on the Lokpal Bill issue, the Anna Hazare team on Thursday alleged that the government version of the ombudsman was not aimed at fighting corruption but for targeting those who complain against the menace.
Anna Hazare on Tuesday stuck to his August 30 deadline for passage of Jan Lokpal Bill and asked his supporters to intensify the protest by gheraoing the houses of Parliamentarians if government failed to do so.
A parliamentary committee has sought public opinion and suggestions on the Lokpal Bill, giving people 15 days to send their feedback on the measure, which proposes to create an anti-corruption watchdog.
"We propose to cover organisations like ISRO and arms deals under the purview of Jan Lokpal as they are important from internal security angle, besides the Prime Minister above all who will come under its jurisdiction," Karnataka Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde, part of the 10-member Joint Drafting Committee on Lokpal Bill, told media persons in Bengaluru.
Rejecting the recommendations of the parliamentary panel on Lokpal Bill, Team Anna on Wednesday claimed that they will not have any impact on corruption and will instead dismantle the existing anti-graft mechanism.
Eminent jurist and former Advocate General of India Soli Sorabjee on Sunday opposed demands to bring higher judiciary under the proposed Lokpal Bill, saying they could be "judged" only by an authoritative body of experts.
Watch all the action as it unfolds in the Upper House of Parliament, LIVE!
Watch all the action as it unfolds in the Upper House of Parliament, LIVE!
Chidambaram defended the deferment of Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011 in Rajya Sabha on December 29 contending that it was the "only prudent course" before the government and that it had ensured that the Bill remained alive.
Amid Anna Hazare's agitation on the Lokpal issue, a Parliamentary Standing Committee going into the Lokpal Bill on Sunday gave signals that it could "surprise" all those skeptical or cynical about the outcome of the exercise.
Maintaining that it was against the "principle of protection", the Law Ministry has opposed a provision in the Lokpal Bill which gives the ombudsman power to file charge sheet against a public servant without the prior sanction of competent authority.
Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that there was "no division" in the United Progressive Alliance over the Lokpal issue even as his party spokesperson criticised Anna Hazare's arrest.
Urging the government not to enact a law against the interest of states, Communist Party of India - Marxist lawmaker Sitaram Yechury on Thursday accused the corporates of funding elections, and said that the graft cannot be tackled without including India Inc under the review of Lokpal.
The winter session that begins on Thursday is likely to be a stormy with the Opposition stacking up a lot of ammunition to attack the government and it could be visible from day one.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances