-Outlook The much-awaited Lokpal Bill today got the assent from President Pranab Mukherjee, providing for creation of an anti-graft watchdog which will bring under its purview even the Prime Minister with certain safeguards. The Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on December 17 and by the Lok Sabha the next day. The Lok Sabha secretariat had yesterday sent to the Law Ministry a copy of the Bill which has been signed by...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Parliament on Wednesday passed the crucial Lokpal Bill with the Lok Sabha adopting the measure as amended by the Rajya Sabha after a short discussion. Following are the salient features of the amended Lokpal Bill. 1. Lokayuktas: The new bill mandates states to set up Lokayuktas within 365 days. States have the freedom to determine the nature and type of Lokayukta. The old bill said the law...

-The Indian Express There is still no compelling rationale for the lokpal. It is either too much or too little Even as the Lokpal Bill began its journey through the Rajya Sabha, the two men who had crusaded most ardently for it expressed diametrically opposed views on it. Arvind Kejriwal, AAP leader, called it a "jokepal", and said that the final version approved by the cabinet was so feeble that it could...

-IANS The Communist Party of India-Marxist Tuesday said private firms giving bribes for government contract should also be probed by the Lokpal. Participating in the Rajya Sabha debate on the amended Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, CPI-M member Sitaram Yechury said "supply side" of corruption should be addressed along with the "demand side" to curb corruption. "There is always a demand side and a supply side. Lokpal addresses the demand side of corruption, but...

-IANS NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, which provides for creation of an anti-corruption ombudsman. The most prominent of the group of anti-graft bills on the anvil, the Lokpal Bill establishes a lokpal at the central level and asks states to establish Lokayuktas in a year's time from the date of notification of the law. The format of the lokayukta will be left to the...