The battle lines are drawn: it is the government versus "civil society" in India now. A controversial anti-corruption bill has been tabled in parliament, and a showdown with "civil society" representatives, backed by an energetic section of the media, looms. After months of wrangling with activists led by folksy anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare, the government says it has cobbled together the best possible legislation. It is called the Lokpal bill but Mr Hazare...

-The Times of India   Team Anna on Thursday began burning copies of the government's version of the Lokpal Bill that was tabled in Parliament today. Team Anna said the symbolic protest would continue till August 16 when Gandhian Anna Hazare will go on fast to protest the exclusion of several recommendations made by civil society members on the bill. The proposed legislation introduced in the Lok Sabha doesn't cover the Prime Minister...

-IANS   Karnataka's new Lokayukata (Ombudsman) Justice Shivaraj V. Patil Wednesday said he would study the investigation report into the multi-crore mining scam before admitting the petition of former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa challenging its recommendation to prosecute him for alleged graft. 'As I assumed office only today (Wednesday), I need some time to study the voluminous report and its recommendations to act on Yeddyurappa's petition,' Patil told reporters after he was administered...

A controversial bill which aims to set up an anti-corruption watchdog has been introduced in the lower house of the Indian parliament. Activists have criticised the Lokpal Bill for failing to include the prime minister and senior judiciary within the remit of a new Ombudsman. Activist Anna Hazare has called the bill a "cruel joke". He said he would go on hunger strike from 16 August. India has recently been hit by a...

-IANS   The present version of the Lokpal bill is useless as it will cause confusion and discourage the common man from complaining against corruption, lawyer Prashant Bhushan said Thursday opposing its tabling in parliament. 'The present Lokpal bill is not drafted to deal with corruption at all. In fact, it will deter people who want to complain against corruption,' Bhushan told reporters. Bhushan is a member of the civil society group led...