-The Economic Times   The standing committee vetting the Lokpal Bill has reached a consensus on making the proposed anti-graft Ombudsman a constitutional body. The suggestion to upgrade the status of Lokpal to a constitutional body had first come from Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP from Amethi Rahul Gandhi.  At its meeting on Thursday, all members of the standing committee, headed by Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, were unanimous that Lokpal...

Bhukan Singh is a small, shy figure, with a nervous smile - he does not look like a hero. But standing in a field near his home, he recalls the day last March when his fight for transparency and justice in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand nearly resulted in his death. "In today's India speaking the truth is not easy," Mr Singh, 44, says wistfully, remembering how, on that March day...

-The Telegraph   Team Anna members today lobbied BJP leaders over their Jan Lokpal Bill but failed to get a commitment. Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley told the team that their party wasn’t opposed to the government introducing separate bills to tackle corruption in the lower bureaucracy and judiciary. The team wants these brought under the Ombudsman. Hazare’s associates were also told that the BJP favoured a strong Lokpal but not a draconian one,...

-Rediff.com   A former Delhi chief secretary and currently Delhi's public grievance commission chairman has warned the prime minister not to strangle the 'doers' in the bureaucracy and paralyse the government while the 'non-doers' go scot free in the euphoria over ushering in a strong anti-corruption Ombudsman.  In an appeal that echoes concern of all senior bureaucrats, Ramesh Narayanaswami sought Dr Manmohan Singh's urgent intervention to ensure the best safeguards possible in the...

Prior sanction for prosecution of public servants like bureaucrats and MPs in a criminal case will not be required if the strong consensus within the parliamentary committee examining the Lokpal bill is reflected in the panel's recommendations.  At present, presiding officers of the two Houses of Parliament are required to give their assent for prosecution of MPs while the government is the relevant authority for civil servants. But the proposed Lokpal's...