Lokpal Draft

• Cabinet to meet on Lokpal Bill today; government not giving in on CBI?

  Much midnight oil has been burnt over the last few days and the government is now ready with its final draft of the Lokpal Bill, "cleaned up" yesterday by senior ministers and to be approved today by the Union Cabinet before it is tabled in Parliament.

• Wasn't invited to Lokpal debate: Sharad Pawar

  Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said today that his party did not participate in the Lokpal debate held yesterday because it wasn't invited. Mr Pawar, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party or NCP, said "the debate will be in Parliament. We will present our opinions in front of the PM."

• Anna Hazare fasts, politicians debate Lokpal bill at Jantar Mantar

  Anna Hazare's team wanted the nitty gritty of the Lokpal Bill discussed at Jantar Mantar on Sunday. A group of seasoned politicians from across parties accepted the invitation to speak at the venue of Anna Hazare's token one-day fast, but left with an emphatic message - "Those details are the prerogative of the Parliament. Leave it to Parliament. W...

• Lokpal Bill row: Prime Minister calls all-party meeting

  As veteran anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare readies for his day-long fast tomorrow in Delhi in protest against the parliamentary panel's report on the Lokpal Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for an all-party meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue again.

• Standing Committee fooling people of entire nation: Anna Hazare

  On the eve of his day-long fast against the Parliamentary Standing Committee's report on the Lokpal Bill, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare hit out at the government, saying the committee that had released the report on the anti-graft bill was "fooling people of the entire nation."

• What the parliamentary committee recommends for Lokpal

  A parliamentary committee today adopted its report on the contentious Lokpal Bill leaving it to the wisdom of Parliament to decide on inclusion of Prime Minister in its ambit while Congress members gave dissenting notes demanding inclusion of Group C officials within its purview.

• Lokpal Bill: Team Anna, CBI reject parliamentary committee's recommendations

  The government appears to be on the brink of a new crisis. Anna Hazare's team of activists have rejected the Lokpal Bill that's being prepped for parliament; they say they will begin a new agitation against the government. Anna has also threatened to start a hunger strike on December 27 if the government does not deliver a potent new law against ...

• Lokpal Standing Committee seeks extension for submission of report

  Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Congress MP from Rajya Sabha and Chairman of the parliamentary panel looking into drafting the anti-graft Lokpal Bill, has sought a week's extension for submitting the panel's draft of the bill.

• Highlights: Anna Hazare slams Govt's U-turn in the Lokpal draft

  Social activist Anna Hazare has slammed the government over the Standing Committee's flip-flops on the inclusion of lower bureaucracy under the ambit of Lokpal. The issue has been a major sticking point with members of the civil society, who are threatening to launch another mass agitation if all their demands on the issue are not met.

• Government attempting to weaken Lokpal, says Anna

  Slamming the draft of the Lokpal Bill that has been prepared by a parliamentary committee, social activist Anna Hazare today said the government is attempting to weaken the Lokpal.

• Lokpal Bill draft places emphasis on NGOs

  For some, it's an attempt by politicians to underscore that those who fight against corruption must be willing to be held accountable to the same standards.

• Lokpal draft: Govt betrayed us, says Anna; threatens fresh movement from Dec 27

  This evening, Anna Hazare announced "The government has betrayed us" and threatened to anchor a huge new mass movement against corruption starting December 27.

• Govt checking records in Army, trying to dig out information about me: Hazare

  Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare today alleged that the Government was trying to dig out information about his past by checking his records in the Army and sending people to his village in Maharashtra to check on his organisation."They (Government) have sent people to check my records in the Army. They want to see if they can find something during m...

• Lokpal Bill: Cabinet keeps PM out, Anna's version dumped

  The cabinet has cleared the anti-corruption Lokpal Bill, and has decided that the Prime Minister will be exempt from investigation for corruption while he or she is in office. Senior judges also won't be covered by the Bill.

• Government's draft Lokpal Bill

  At Sunday's all-party meeting on the Lokpal Bill, the BJP raised serious objections to several elements in the draft bill prepared by the five ministers. BJP leaders told the Prime Minister that all the clauses regarding who appoints Lokpal, who is eligible to be Lokpal and who can remove Lokpal needs to be totally amended.Here's a look at the draf...