Indian govt says anti-corruption bill imminent

GlobalPost

India's government is confident it will table a new anti-corruption bill before the end of the winter session of parliament, the BBC reports, citing a senior minister.

Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the bill could be tabled by Tuesday.

Leaders of 35 parties who joined Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the Lokpal bill earlier this week failed to reach a consensus on its contents.

Media reports suggest that a special session of parliament could be convened to allow more time to bring about agreement on the Lokpal bill. The winter session is scheduled to end on 22 December.

The move would mark a measure of progress against the gridlock that has practically prevented the legislature from functioning for the past two weeks.  It would also forestall a threatened protest from anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare and his followers. 

Hazare has threatened to begin another indefinite hunger strike if an anti-corruption bill is not passed this term.  Of perhaps greater concern for the government, he has also laid out some stiff, and specific, requirements as to the shape the bill should take.

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