Civil society groups have opposed a government proposal to rid its flagship rural jobs guarantee programme of malpractices, saying the plan is "hazy and lacks clear direction". The opposition to the proposal, which seeks social and financial audits of schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), comes at a time when the government is facing the heat of a campaign led by social activist anna hazare over...

When the basic structure of the Constitution denies the Prime Minister immunity from prosecution, how could it be argued that the office should not be brought under the scrutiny of the Lokpal? The Indian citizenry is up in arms against corruption at the highest levels of government. anna hazare's movement has caught the people's imagination. The former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has pitched in and called upon the youth to start...

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will meet anna hazare on Saturday, citing a “packed prior schedule” to turn down his request for an appointment today. The anti-graft activist has been parleying with leaders of major political parties in the capital for the past two days and met Bihar rivals Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad. Sources said despite the Congress Working Committee in its meeting last week coming down strongly on Hazare and his...

-The Times of India   Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Thursday questioned the Centre's decision of sending two drafts of Lokpal bill to the states for consideration and demanded that the government clarify its stand before seeking states' views on the proposed anti-corruption legislation. Speaking after a meet with civil society group on the Lokpal issue, Kumar said he would discuss the matter with his party and ally BJP. "Let the government...

-The Times of India   Congress president Sonia Gandhi will on Saturday meet Gandhian anna hazare and other representatives of civil society to discuss the Lokpal Bill. "The meeting between team Anna and Sonia Gandhi is confirmed for tomorrow (July 2)," Aswathi Muralidharan, a member of the NGO Parivartan which is canvassing support for the Lokpal Bill, said. The meeting had earlier been scheduled for June 30. Team Anna has been meeting political party leaders...