India's cabinet on Tuesday approved a landmark anti-corruption bill which was the focus of nationwide demonstrations

New Delhi: India's cabinet on Tuesday approved a landmark anti-corruption bill which was the focus of nationwide demonstrations in August that rocked the government, officials said.

The proposed law would create a powerful new ombudsman tasked with probing and prosecuting senior politicians and civil servants suspected of graft.

The cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved the "Lokpal" or ombudsman bill after discussions held in the parliament house, an official said.

"The bill will now be introduced in parliament and although the exact date is not clear at this moment it seems it could be tabled (in parliament) on Thursday," a government official who did not want to be named told AFP.

"Changes to some of the bill's provisions have been made."

State-run television station Doordarshan said "changes to some of the bill's provisions" had been made, without elaborating.

In August, veteran activist Anna Hazare held a 12-day hunger strike to protest against an initial draft of the bill, saying it was a toothless measure incapable of curbing the rampant corruption it was meant to target.

His campaign brought millions of ordinary Indians onto the streets in cities across the country, in a national outpouring of anger and frustration at the culture of bribery and kick-backs that permeates every level of Indian society.

The public response was a shock for premier Singh's coalition government, which has been tainted by a series of high-profile corruption scandals.

The Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency and Doordarshan both reported the ombudsman will have limited jurisdiction over the prime minister.

"The prime minister will be under the purview of the Lokpal (but) with certain safeguards that will keep out aspects like international relations, public order, atomic energy, space, internal and external security from the inquiry," PTI said.

The main dispute has been over who would fall under the new law's ambit, with the Hazare campaign insisting that it should include the prime minister, the judiciary and lower-level civil servants.

The government, refusing to yield to Hazare's demands, has also decided to keep the elite Central Bureau of Investigation out of the control of the ombudsman, the semi-official PTI added.

Reacting to news reports, Hazare's trusted aide Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at Singh's government for reportedly refusing to bring the federal agency into the Lokpal's ambit.

"It is a fraud played on the nation but don't make a fool out of the Indian people," Kejriwal told the Times Now television station.

"This bill should not be allowed to be passed (into law) by parliament,' the fiery anti-graft activist added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Hazare renewed his threat to launch a second hunger strike for three days from December 27 to protest at what he asserted was government attempts to dilute the bill's provisions.

The current parliamentary session was scheduled to end on Wednesday, but the parliamentary affairs minister's office said the house would reconvene for three days from December 27 to consider a number of outstanding bills.

Source: http://gulfnews.com/news/world/india/indian-cabinet-approves-anti-graft-bill-1.954690