Anna Hazare called off his fast on ninth day after the Lok Sabha passed Lokpal Bill
The Parliament has passed the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill with the Lok Sabha giving its nod for this anti-corruption legislation. Following the passage of the Bill, noted social activist Anna Hazare, who was on a fast since past nine days, has called off his fast.
On Wednesday, the Bill was passed after official amendments were moved to incorporate almost all the suggestions of the Opposition and select committee. The passage of the Bill had become a mere formality as almost all parties, except Samajwadi Party, were in support.
The urgency of pushing the Bill is seen in the context of the drubbing Congress faced in the just-held Delhi assembly polls at the hands of Aam Aadmi Party whose main plank was the enactment of Lokpal.
The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011, which has been pending in the House for the last two years, was approved by voice vote in the Rajya Sabha after a five-hour debate.
Samajwadi Party, which was strongly opposed to such a measure, boycotted the House proceedings after staging a walkout as soon as the debate began this morning.
The proposed law, aimed at dealing with the menace of corruption, will bring under its purview the Prime Minister with certain safeguards and other public servants.
Among the amendments accepted by the government are delinking of the mandatory creation of Lokayuktas by the state governments, one of the provisions which had stalled the passage of the bill in December 2011.
The selection process of the Lokpal has also been changed.
It now provides for appointment of the Lokpal by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader in Opposition in Lok Sabha and Chief Justice of India, besides an eminent jurist appointed by the President on their recommendation.
Earlier, Hazare thanked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his 'commitment' towards passage of the Lokpal Bill in Parliament. In a letter Hazare said, "The country awaits a strong Lokpal".
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