Anna Hazare and his team may not have managed to see introduction of their version of Lokpal Bill in Parliament, but an Independent MP on Monday submitted in Rajya Sabha a Private Member's Jan Lokpal Bill aimed at checking corruption.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday termed the new draft of the Lokpal Bill as 'bekar' or useless and said he would continue his fight against the government for the 'Jan Lokpal Bill'.
Nandan Nilekani, the chairperson of Unique Identification Authority of India and former Infosys CEO, has said that activist Anna Hazare's protest was unjustified when the Lokpal Bill was before Parliament for consideration.
The Lokpal Bill in its present form has not gone down well with the Central Bureau of Investigation whose officials feel that the autonomy of investigation has been "seriously compromised".
Welcoming the passage of Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha, India Inc said that once enacted it will help weed out corruption, boost investor confidence and expedite the decision making process.
The letters by Hazare and Gandhi were released by the All India Congress Committee on Tuesday, on a day the Bill was slated to come up for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha.
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.
Accusing the government of going back on its assurances to give a strong Lokpal Bill, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Friday threatened to start another country-wide agitation to achieve his demand of a pro-people Jan Lokpal.
Justice Santosh Hegde, who was part of the drafting committee of the Jan Lokpal Bill, says that his biggest complaint with regard to the new government draft of the Bill was that no independent probing agency had been provided for the Lokpal.
Anna Hazare fever gripped India and Lokpal became the buzzword. But after the 12-day rollercoaster, will the government keep its promises? Once implemented, will the Lokpal become just another anti-corruption law, asks Ganesh Nadar
All India Congress Committee General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Friday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apparently to discuss the Lokpal issue.
Realising the dangers of postponing the Lokpal Bill, the government after a long gap has acted smartly in putting the onus of passing the controversial bill onto the shoulders of the Opposition parties, reports Renu Mittal.
Raising strong objections to the "highly improper" procedure adopted by the Union government in making key appointments to the posts of Lokpal, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley has charged the department of personnel with diluting the role of the Selection and Search Committees.
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to interpret Leader of Opposition provision for the purpose of appointment of Lokpal in which LoP is a selection committee member and asked the Centre to make its stand clear within two weeks, saying the legislation cannot be put in "cold storage".
'The BJP was supporting him from behind in order to bring down the Congress government.'
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.
In a sharp reaction to Rahul Gandhi's comments on the Lokpal Bill, the Bhyaratiya Janata Party on Saturday alleged Congress and its allies are blocking the passage of the legislation and it is ready to support the measure even amid the din and without a discussion.
The case of Gujaratis also the eye-opener for all Indians, who are agitating for the Lokpal bill.
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.
Mahua asserted that despite all efforts by the Bharatiya Janata Party to "sound the death knell" for constitutional democracy, India is too great a country to be destroyed by the fascists.
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.
Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa looks at the stumbling blocks that need to be overcome before the Lokpal Act becomes a reality
In his letter to the prime minister, Hazare said he would continue the campaign in the capital till the Lokayukta is not appointed and the Swaminathan Commission Report is not implemented.
Citing overlapping of functions, a parliamentary committee on Monday recommended integrating Central Vigilance Commission and anti-corruption wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation to work directly under the command and control of Lokpal to deal with corruption cases.
Differing with Anna Hazare on the amended Lokpal Bill approved by the Union Cabinet, his team member and former Indian Police Service officer Kiran Bedi on Friday backed the legislation saying it addresses most of their concerns.
The actor plays the owner of food court.
The government and the opposition are heading for yet another faceoff over constitution of the selection panel for the maiden Lokpal, with the Bharatiya Janata Party opposing the prime minister's proposal to appoint senior lawyer P P Rao as its fifth member.
With Lok Sabha taking up the Lokpal bill on Wednesday, there are expectations that Anna Hazare, whose fast entered the ninth day, will call it off after it is passed in the Lower House.
The Department of Personnel and Training has expedited efforts to select seven members and chairperson of the Search Committee for Lokpal, official sources said.
Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Shivraj Patil on Friday administered the oath of allegiance to Justice (retired) Jai Singh Sekhon as the Lokpal of Punjab at a brief ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as well as family members of Justice Sekhon were among others present on the occasion.
The search committee will forward the names to the selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India or his nominee, Lok Sabha Speaker, the leader of the largest opposition party and an eminent jurist.
Charging the government with not being serious on the Lokpal Bill in Parliament, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said that it will make every effort to get the anti-corruption legislation passed.
Even Mohanlal could not save the film with his performance.
Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Sunday said the Lokpal, if made a law, will create fear among wrongdoers like the way the "chopping of hands of thieves" does in UAE. Addressing protesters at the fast venue of Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev, Bedi also asked people not to vote for those politicians who are opposed to Lokpal in the next elections.
The Centre on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it will not take any immediate decision on the appointment of chairperson and members of the Lokpal, virtually indicating that the decision in this regard might be left to the new government after the general elections.
Overturning its two key decisions within a day, the Parliamentary panel examining the Lokpal Bill on Thursday favoured exclusion of group C officials from Lokpal and not to tamper with the present selection process of Central Bureau of Investigation director despite opposition by at least 10 members.
The Union Cabinet will meet on Tuesday evening to take up the Lokpal Bill. The meeting will take place at 7:30 pm, sources said. The government has been racing against time to firm up the anti-graft Bill in view of the looming threat of Anna Hazare to go on a hunger strike from December 27 if Parliament fails to pass a strong Lokpal Bill.
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.
With Lok Sabha taking up the Lokpal Bill for debate, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said it will press for amendments and support parties seeking changes in the proposed legislation if there is common ground.
"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."
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