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| India set for all-party meeting on anti-corruption bill | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| India's government is due to hold a key all-party meeting to build consensus on a new anti-corruption bill. | India's government is due to hold a key all-party meeting to build consensus on a new anti-corruption bill. |
| The Lokpal bill envisages setting up an independent ombudsman, who would have the power to investigate and prosecute politicians and civil servants. | The Lokpal bill envisages setting up an independent ombudsman, who would have the power to investigate and prosecute politicians and civil servants. |
| Activists and opposition parties say the bill should include the prime minister and lower-level bureaucracy. | Activists and opposition parties say the bill should include the prime minister and lower-level bureaucracy. |
| Activist Anna Hazare has threatened to go on hunger strike if the bill is not passed during this parliament session. | |
| His 12-day anti-corruption fast four months ago became the focus of a national campaign and put pressure on the government to act on the issue. | His 12-day anti-corruption fast four months ago became the focus of a national campaign and put pressure on the government to act on the issue. |
| Although the government has now drafted a new anti-corruption bill, some opposition parties and activists say it is too weak. | Although the government has now drafted a new anti-corruption bill, some opposition parties and activists say it is too weak. |
| 'Productive' | 'Productive' |
| On Tuesday, the ruling Congress-led coalition held a meeting and arrived at a "broad consensus" over the new bill, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said. | |
| He said he hoped that Wednesday's all-party meeting would be "productive and we can reach conclusions to the amendments to the draft bill and bring it before parliament". | |
| Media reports say that the government is likely to agree to include the prime minister in the ambit of the ombudsman with some conditions, relating to matters of external affairs and national security. | Media reports say that the government is likely to agree to include the prime minister in the ambit of the ombudsman with some conditions, relating to matters of external affairs and national security. |
| Also, the reports say, it is likely to agree to demands to bring junior bureaucrats under the ombudsman. | Also, the reports say, it is likely to agree to demands to bring junior bureaucrats under the ombudsman. |
| The judiciary and conduct of MPs in parliament have been kept out of the Lokpal's ambit. | The judiciary and conduct of MPs in parliament have been kept out of the Lokpal's ambit. |
| Separately, the cabinet cleared drafts of three major anti-corruption bills on Tuesday. | Separately, the cabinet cleared drafts of three major anti-corruption bills on Tuesday. |
| The three bills would offer protection to whistleblowers, make judges more accountable and make it mandatory for government officers to deliver services to citizens within a defined period of time. | The three bills would offer protection to whistleblowers, make judges more accountable and make it mandatory for government officers to deliver services to citizens within a defined period of time. |
| India has recently been hit by a string of high-profile corruption scandals, badly damaging the government's reputation. | |
| Among them are an alleged multi-billion dollar telecoms scam, claims of financial malpractice in connection with the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and allegations that houses intended for war widows ended up in the hands of civil servants. | |
| A recent survey said corruption in India had cost billions of dollars and threatened to derail growth. | A recent survey said corruption in India had cost billions of dollars and threatened to derail growth. |