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.
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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that his office has been kept under the purview of the Jan Lokpal Bill, whose broad contours have been finalised, and the bill will be taken up in the cabinet early next week.
The Lokpal Bill has always appeared to be a jinxed affair, the history of last 40 years shows.
The Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of parliament, witnessed its second-longest sitting in history on Thursday, lasting until 4:02 am the next day. The House convened to clear the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and approve the statutory resolution on the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur. The longest sitting in Rajya Sabha history occurred on September 17, 1981, when the House sat until 4:43 am to pass the Essential Services Maintenance Bill.
The government on Thursday gave ex post-facto approval to some official amendments to the Lokpal Bill moved in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year.
The report on the Lokpal Bill was tabled in the Rajya Sabha by Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Law and Justice, Public Grievances and Personnel.
Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Monday said activist Anna Hazare was "overestimating" his version of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Singh also sought a comprehensive strategy to tackle corruption. "I think he is overestimating the Jan Lokpal bill. Corruption can only be removed if there is a comprehensive strategy by the judiciary, bureaucracy, police and government," Singh told reporters. "Just passing the law will not help any one. Corruption will not be removed only by Lokpal."
Anna Hazare on Tuesday began his indefinite fast at his village in Maharashtra to press for immediate passage of Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament even as Government said it was serious about getting the anti-graft measure passed in the current session itself.
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'.
Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare's indefinite hunger strike to press for passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament entered the seventh day on Monday.
The Delhi government on Wednesday cleared the Jan Lokpal Bill, paving the way towards creating the post of an anti-graft ombudsman, which it claimed was similar to the one proposed during the Anna Hazare movement, and will table it in the Assembly soon.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Arvind Kejriwal, suffered a major setback in the Delhi Assembly elections, losing to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The loss marks a significant blow to Kejriwal's national ambitions and raises questions about the future of the party. The AAP had been in power in Delhi for the past 10 years and had also formed a government in Punjab. Despite the defeat, the party still holds 13 MPs from Punjab and Delhi. The article examines the factors that contributed to the AAP's defeat, including allegations of corruption, poor civic facilities, and the BJP's relentless attacks. It also explores the impact of the loss on Kejriwal's national aspirations and the party's future.
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.
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.
Former chief justice of Delhi high court A P Shah, who was named by Arvind Kejriwal as an internal Lokpal of India Against Corruption, on Saturday termed the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by erstwhile Team Anna as "too draconian".Addressing a conference of state Lokayuktas, Shah favoured setting up of a strong Lokpal to contain corruption in the country but criticised the Jan Lokpal Bill, saying certain provisions of it were not within the limits of the Constitution.
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.
The Samajwadi Party on Friday said it will strongly oppose the Lokpal Bill in Parliament, holding it was against the very basis of democracy.
The Congress core committee has rejected the demand made by Team Anna to withdraw the Lokpal bill from Parliament and replace it with the Jan Lokpal bill.
Team Anna met the members of the Standing Committee of Parliament headed by Abhishek Singvi on Friday to discuss the Jan Lokpal Bill and pressed for as many as 34 fresh additions to the proposed Lokpal Bill that have already been incorporated in the Uttarakhand Lokayukata Bill. They renewed their demand that constitutional amendments bringing violation of citizens' charter and conduct of legislators in Parliament within the purview of the Lokpal also be introduced.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday called on President Pratibha Patil and briefed her about the consensus resolution passed in Parliament on Lokpal Bill.
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.
Highlights of the government's new Lokpal Bill
Adopting a tough posture, team Anna Hazare on Wednesday asked a Parliamentary panel to recommend to the government to withdraw the Lokpal Bill and come out with a fresh measure that deals with problem of corruption faced by the public.
Taking exception to the government's 'comparative' analysis of the two drafts of the Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare team on Monday asked Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to treat both its versions as the joint drafting committee's outcome enjoying 'equal weightage'.
Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare on Friday warned the government against any hanky panky on the Lokpal bill or else he would again undertake a fast unto death.
Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Varun Gandhi on Tuesday said that he had plans to introduce Anna Hazare's version of Lokpal Bill as a private member's bill in Parliament. "I plan to introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill as a private member's bill in the Parliament. I will do that next week," said the BJP Lok Sabha member from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh.
Union Minister Salman Khurshid on Monday slammed Aam Admi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal for his opposition to the Lokpal Bill even after anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare supported it.
Leaders of political parties met in Delhi on Sunday to evolve a consensus on Lokpal Bill amid a demand by civil society group led by Anna Hazare that the proposed law should have the prime minister and the higher judiciary within its ambit.
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 much-awaited anti-corruption measure Lokpal was tonight one step short of becoming a law with the government sending the bill to President Pranab Mukherjee for his assent.
Pressing for tabling of the Lokpal Bill on Wednesday itself in the Rajya Sabha, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left sought to corner the government which was not ready for immediate discussion on it.
Differences between the government and representatives of civil society continued over provisions in the Lokpal Bill, even as the Manmohan Singh government was further in the dock over a quietly executed decision of removing the Central Bureau of Investigation from the purview of the Right to Information.
Social activist Medha Patkar on Wednesday expressed confidence that the Jan Lokpal Bill, now being studied by a Parliamentary Standing Committee, will finally come into effect as it has public support.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday met Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and discussed various issues relating to the Jan Lokpal Bill. Sources said Kejriwal apprised Jung of his government's views on introduction of the bill in the assembly.
In a bid to allay concerns of states and political parties alike, the government appears to have decided to delink the provision of Lokayuktas in states from the Lokpal Bill.
The United Progressive Alliance government on Tuesday extended the Winter session Parliament to pass four crucial anti-corruption bills -- the Lokpal Bill, the Citizens' Charter Bill, the Judicial Accountability Bill and the Whistleblowers' Bill.
Trinamool Congress on Thursday said it will support the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha if it is brought without the clause about appointing Lokayuktas in the states.
Amid the government's keenness to introduce Lokpal Bill in Parliament before the end of the winter session on December 22, the Union Cabinet on Sunday night had informal discussions on the much-hyped legislation which is expected to be taken up by the Cabinet formally on Monday.
The government on Thursday said it wants the Lokpal Bill to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha after evolving consensus among the political parties. "We would like the Bill to come to the Rajya Sabjha only after there is a consensus. If the Bill is brought and then consensus is sought in the House, it would lead to certain problems," Law Minister Salman Khurshid told reporters outside Parliament House.
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