India cabinet to debate ant-corruption bill скачать в хорошем качестве

India cabinet to debate ant-corruption bill

India's cabinet is set to debate a landmark anti-corruption bill, which was the focus of nationwide demonstrations earlier this year. An official in the prime minister's office said a cabinet meeting to discuss the bill had been scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. The new legislation would establish a powerful new "Lokpal", or ombudsman, tasked with investigating and prosecuting senior politicians and other citizens suspected of graft. An earlier draft of the legislation prompted a 12-day hunger strike by Anna Hazare, a prominent activist, who said that version was a toothless measure incapable of curbing the rampant corruption it was meant to target. His campaign brought millions of Indians onto the streets in cities across the country, in an outpouring of frustration at the country's culture of bribery and kick-backs. The public response rocked India's coalition government, which has been tainted by a series of high-profile corruption scandals. The main dispute has been over who would fall under the ombudsman's ambit, with the Hazare campaign insisting that it should include the prime minister, the judiciary and lower-level civil servants. Hazare has threatened a second hunger strike beginning December 27 if the final version of the bill presented to parliament falls short of his demands.