Parliament clears anti-graft bill after decades of demand

NEW DELHI: The government has clinched the Lok Sabha’s assent to the Lokpal bill, arming Congress with a showcase anti-corruption legislation just before it slipped into a lame duck phase ahead of next year’s general elections.

The Lokpal and Lokayukta (amended) Bill, 2013 was passed on Wednesday through voice vote amid noisy protests by some members against the proposed statehood to Telangana, before Parliament was adjourned sine die. The bill aims to establish an anticorruption watchdog that will have power to investigate corruption charges against a wide spectrum of public functionaries including the Prime Minister.

The passage of the bill came within days of the Congress’ near-rout in the recent assembly elections and the stunning debut of Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party, which was formed by a section of the protestors led by Anna Hazare who agitated in August 2011 to press for a more potent version of the bill. The main opposition, the BJP, also signalled its eagerness to join hands with the government after the Aam Aadmi Party emerged a close second in Delhi polls and prevented it from securing a simple majority.




Earlier, successive governments had stalled such a legislation for the past five decades.

Within 24 hours of the passage of the amended bill in Rajya Sabha, the lower house gave its assent with an overwhelming support from a majority of political parties from both the ruling and opposition sides. Samajwadi Party, which lends outside support to the ruling coalition, staged a walkout to facilitate the passage of the bill while registering its opposition. Shiv Sena also reiterated its opposition to the bill.

The two main parties also used the split between Hazare and Kejriwal to give some credit to the former for the bill in a bid to rob the Aam Aadmi Party of any moral claim over the legislation. While a converted Hazare cheered the government’s bill and broke his fast, Kejriwal’s party stuck to its view that the government had passed a bill that was far too weak to check corruption.

The understanding across the political spectrum was evident in Lok Sabha, where leaders from all sides agreed to speak briefly and rush through its passage. However, the usually reticent Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi made it a point to speak on the bill. The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, BJP’s Sushma Swaraj took a dig at Gandhi, saying that notwithstanding the Congress’ efforts “the people of this country and the old man (Hazare) who has undertaken fast several times deserve the credit” for the anti-corruption legislation.

In his intervention, Gandhi maintained that the Lokpal Bill was the latest anti-corruption measure by his party’s government and also lined up more such measures. Even as the House was later adjourned sine die two days ahead of schedule, he said the session should have actually been extended to help pass six more bills which were “part of the comprehensive anti-corruption framework” of the government. “Lokpal Bill alone is not enough to fight corruption. What we need is a comprehensive anti-corruption code. The UPA government has prepared anti-corruption framework... Eight new central laws have been brought...We should complete the unfinished work of fighting corruption... Six anti-corruption bills are pending. If necessary, can we not extend this session of Parliament?” Gandhi asked while recalling that the bill was originally brought in by the Indira Gandhi regime.

Since both houses have only been adjourned indefinitely and not prorogued, Parliament can be reconvened if the political parties arrive at an agreement on the issue, a person familiar with the matter said.