Lok Sabha passes Lokpal Bill by voice vote: PTI

Rediff.com live feed, December 27, 2011

23:16 PM Defence, Coast Guard out of Lokpal ambit:
A landmark bill for the creation of the Lokpal was passed by the Lok Sabha tonight with the government making it clear that setting up of Lokayuktas by the states would not be mandatory, amending a contentious provision in view of opposition from allies and others.
The Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill 2011 was approved after the government moved a few other key amendments, including keeping the defence forces and Coast Guard personnel out of the purview of the anti-graft ombudsman and increasing the exemption time of former MPs from five to seven years.
A number of amendments moved by the Opposition, to include corporates, media and NGOs receiving donations, were defeated.

23:24 PM Sonia Gandhi and Sharad Pawar in Lok Sabha: Quite interesting to see Sonia Gandhi and Sharad Pawar seated next to each other in the Lok Sabha during the Lokpal Bill vote. Twelve years ago, the Maratha warlord had broken off from the Congress citing his unwillingness to accept her as prime minister, and launched the Nationalist Congress Party. Today, of course, the NCP is an ally of the UPA, and as the Lokpal Bill vote shows, share common concerns.