16:46 PM PM: Believe in transparent, open governance:
In Parliament, the PM is speaking. Says the government tabled the Bill because we are confident that it reflects the sense of the House. Says the government is open to other voices, but the decision must remain with us (the Parliament). The PM says the government believes in transparent legislation.
Goes on to give a rundown of the government's anti-graft legislations.
16:51 PM PM: Show India that the House means business: The PM says the Parliament must keep public anger in mind and keep partisan politics at bay and pass the Lokpal Bill. "We must show the country that the House means business," says Dr Singh. He says legislation is a serious business and must always rest with the Parliament.
16:54 PM PM defends Lokpal Bill: India is looking at Parliament with bated breath and waits for the Bill to be passed.
16:56 PM PM: CBI should work independently of Lokpal, but should be accountable. Lokpal is a judicious bill and supports and independent CBI.
17:00 PM Section 24 may be dropped from Lokpal Bill: Section 24 likely to be dropped from the Lokpal Bill. That's the huge sticking point from an united opposition since it allows prosecution of MPs. Section 24 of the bill allows presiding officers to act on the basis of a Lokpal report even before a trial is completed. The Lok Sabha Speaker or Chairman of Rajya Sabha is required to table the Lokpal report and inform Lokpal about the action being taken - or not taken - against the members concerned.
17:06 PM
The PM also said there has been public anger against corruption over the last four years, but all politicians are not corrupt. He says that all systems of governance must be based on trust.
17:09 PM PM: Unless Lokayuktas are put in place, the cancer of corruption will spread.
17:37 PM
The Left has so far moved 11 amendments to the Lokpal Bill. Wants corporates under the Lokpal Bill, something that every other party has left out.
18:07 PM PM has given election speech in Parliament today:
The session has been extended to pass the Bill.
Lalu says: We aren't against a strong Lokpal Bill. The PM has given an election speech in Parliament today.
Anna Hazare's life is very important, we should have a Save Anna Campaign, Lalu says tongue-in-cheek
18:13 PM
Speaker says, "Please be serious, what is this!" as the House twitters at Lalu's speech. Lalu says the Bill be the death warrant for all elected representatives. Fasting is not a solution to all problems -- baath baath pe anshan.
Says PMji we don't doubt your integrity, if you bring in a strong Lokpal Bill, we will make you the Lokpal. PM and MPs laugh.
18:24 PM
Lalu urges Parliament to take this bill back. Says when the bill is put to vote they should have the courage to reject it since it is nothing but a "phansi ka phanda" noose around the Parliament's neck.
He tells the BJP to stop giving speeches, and bring in suggestions to better the Lokpal Bill.
18:28 PM Lalu directing his ire at Team Anna tells the government: You have created this problem by entertaining those who will never be satisfied. Says they (Team Anna) want to impose power rejection and if they win they want the power to recall. Yeh kya hai, he asks, voice raised in fever-pitch theatrics.
18:45 PM Here's what the New York Times' India blogs has on Anna's fast: Frustration and hope at Hazare's fast in Mumbai.
18:47 PM And another read from the NYT's India blogs: Parliament kicks off 'fight of the year'.
18:52 PM
In Parliament, the BJP's Yashwant Sinha speaks.
Says it is toughest to be Parliamentarians. We are at the public's disposal 24x7. People who think its easy to fight and win elections, don't know anything.
18:54 PM PM's statement in Parliament today was like a farewell speech :
Always a good orator, expect this to be a lively speech. Yashwant Sinha says the need for Lokpal has never been so strong though it has come up for discussion many times.
Says PM's statement in Parliament today was like a farewell speech.
19:10 PM Govt's legislations are corruption centric: Yashwant Sinha :
Yashwant Sinha says two of our esteemed colleagues (alluding to A Raja, Suresh Kalmadi) are in jail, but not one of Atal Behari Vajpayee's ministers are in jail .
He says the government has no intentions of passing this bill. He tells the government that you cannot ignore the indignation of the people since it is your creation.
He says the government's legislations are corruption centric.
19:17 PM
Yashwant Sinha laughs at his own wit, calls the Lokpal Bill, Rogpal Bill.
19:30 PM
Does the Chair know? Sushma Swaraj has been tweeting links of her speeches from inside the House.
Tharoor says the Jan Lokpal bill came about through an undemocratic process, but the Lokpal Bill has effective checks and balances. Says the PM's speech was the speech of a statesman. The bill is not corruption-centric, it's people centric.
19:50 Tharoor: Our finest democratic move is to pass Lokpal:
Best lines from Tharoor's speech:
Let us today make one of our finest democratic moves by passing this Bill today.
We don't need a jasmine revolution, the scent of jasmine is in our democracy
For every bribe taker there is a bribe giver.We cannot point fingers and forget the moral responsibility of the society
Tharoor ends his speech with a rousing parallel to the national anthem: Let us end this session of Parliament with a rendering the national anthem knowing that we made a difference to the nation today by passing the Bill. This day, 100 years ago, the Jana Gana Mana was sung for the first time at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. Much bench thumping.
22:04 Speaker calls for voting on three bills.
22:10 Clause on Lokayukta amended.
22:17
Left seeks vote on bringing corporates under Lokpal Bill. BJP, JD(U) reject amendment.
22:20
Walkout by Bahujan Samaj Party (21 MPs) and Samajwadi Party (22 MPs) before vote reduces halfway mark to 250.
22:39 Lok Sabha votes on 74 clauses by 10.35 pm:
The Lok Sabha is moving in double quick time, already it has voted on 74 clauses in the Lokpal Bill.
22:41
Clause 75 of the Bill as amended stands part of the Bill, the Lok Sabha has just voted. Ditto on Clauses 76 to 80 stand part of the Bill.
22:41 As the Look Sabha votes on the Lokpal Bill, here's a photograph from MMRDA ground in Mumbai, of an ailing Anna Hazare.
22:46 If Anna resists, he may be taken forcefully to hospital:
Toral Varia reports from Mumbai that Anna Hazare who has been on a fast at the MMRDA grounds, is likely to be hospitalised. Sources say the cops are waiting for the results of Anna's blood tests conducted by JJ hospital doctors. If Anna resists, he will be forcefully taken to the hospital, most likely JJ hospital.
Currently Team Anna is trying to convince him to call off his fast which could affect the Jail Bharo andolan too. Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has also made a personal appeal to Anna to call off the fast.
Meanwhile, IAC member Kiran Bedi has flown to New Delhi and IAC holds that as of now Anna is not going to any hospital. However, security personnel have been briefed to be on standby. Ambulances and other ammenities needed are all ready to take Anna to the hospital.
22:52 Amendment number 16 rejected in division of votes: Speaker Meira Kumar called for a division on amendment number 16 at 10.55 pm, and the results were: Ayes: 189; Noes: 247; Abstentions: 2. With this, this particular amendment was rejected.
22:53 PM's farewell speech? Sinha, Mukherjee in war of words:
The Lok Sabha debate on the Lokpal Bill saw some acrimonious exchanges between the treasury (ruling) and opposition benches. At one point, BJP leader Yaswhant Sinha took a dig at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Lokpal Bill debate speech in Lok Sabha, calling it a "farewell speech".
Sinha's observation during the debate on the Lokpal Bill in the Lower House was countered a few hours later by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee who sarcastically told the BJP not to be impatient for power.
22:55 Anna is very resolute, says IAC volunteer:
Meanwhile, Shazia Ilmi of the IAC told Toral Varia that Anna Hazare is not doing well.
"His condition is not very good. Not very conducive to continue the fast. He is still very resolute. Arvind (Kejriwal) and others are trying to convince him. He needs to have medication to bring down his fever and and control his BP. And for that he needs to eat. But he is very resolute. But he is definitely not going to any hospital as of now. Clearly he is not in any condition to continue the fast. It will have an impact on the Jail Bharo plan. We will have to replan everything."
22:57 Voice vote gets Lokpal Bill through Lower House: Lokpal bill passed in Lok Sabha by voice vote, reports PTI, but not much clarity on it. The Lok Sabha members are still shuffling about.
23:03 PM Left, BJD and AIADMK walk out after voice vote: With the Lokpal Bill passed through a voice vote, the Left, BJD and the AIADMK staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha.
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