Anna's poll on Sibal's turf: '82% want PM under Lokpal'

New Delhi: Anna Hazare and his supporters took their battle for a new tough law against corruption to Kapil Sibal's doorstep today. They conducted what they describe as a referendum in his constituency - Delhi's Chandni Chowk - and said an overwhelming majority of voters support their version of the Lokpal Bill. A sarcastic Mr Sibal said, "They are being modest. I am surprised it is not 100%."

Seventy four-year-old Mr Hazare and four of his nominees partnered with ministers like Mr Sibal on the drafting committee for the Lokpal Bill, intended to combat corruption among politicians and bureaucrats. The experiment to have civil society and the government together develop the bill ended in a bitter divorce, with both sides formulating their own version of the Bill. Major points of difference included whether the Bill should cover the Prime Minister and senior judges. The government said "no", Team Anna said "absolutely."

Last week, the Cabinet approved the ministers' version of the Bill and it will be introduced soon in Parliament.

Mr Hazare says that in the referendum today - 72,000 people completed Mr Hazare's questionnaire - 85 per cent people voted against the Government's Lokpal Bill, 86 per cent people believe that the judiciary should also come under the Lokpal, and 82 per cent want the Lokpal Bill to apply to the Prime Minister. "Seeing these results the question arises, does Mr Kapil Sibal still represent the people of his constituency?" asked Mr Hazare. (Read: Team Anna's referendum on Lokpal Bill)

The Congress retorted, daring Mr Hazare to contest the polls from Chandni Chowk.

"Elections will be held in 2014. Let him fight from Chandni Chowk", said party spokesperson Manish Tewari.

Mr Hazare, meanwhile, also made it very clear to the government that he and his supporters were determined on their proposed fast on August 16 and were even ready to go to jail if they were denied permission to hold the fast at Jantar Mantar.

"If we are not allowed to hold our fast at Jantar Mantar on the 16th, we are ready to go to jail because they haven't yet denied us the rights to sit at Jantar Mantar. We submitted an application to the police commissioner and we still haven't got a reply and they say that they will not let us sit there", Mr Hazare said.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and the Delhi police had, in a meeting on Saturday, decided that Mr Hazare can fast if he wants to, on the outskirts of the national capital, rather than at Jantar Mantar. Jantar Mantar was the place where Mr Hazare - with his fast in April this year - mobilized thousands across the country to join his crusade against corruption.

The police have also imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in areas around the Parliament in anticipation of Mr Hazare's fast.

What Anna's survey shows: