India’s parliament earlier this week approved a landmark anti-graft bill that empowers an independent ombudsman to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption by politicians and civil servants. The ruling Congress and main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) showed rare unity in the lower house of parliament to approve the bill.
The approval comes against the backdrop of widespread popular outrage over rising corruption as general elections scheduled to be held in 2014 approach.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government has been mired in major financial scandals, including a $40bn telecommunications licensing scam and financial irregularities during the organisation of the Commonwealth Games in October 2010. Indians face corruption at several levels in their daily lives with government officials and police often demanding bribes. If anything has been sullying the image of the world’s biggest democracy it is rampant corruption.
All ministers and senior public servants are covered by the new bill, first proposed nearly five decades ago, and even the prime minister falls under the scope of the law.
There was a renewed urgency to push through the legislation after the Congress Party suffered electoral defeats in the recently-held state elections. The fledgling Aam Aadmi party, born out of an anti-corruption campaign led by activist Anna Hazare in 2011, won a large chunk of seats in Delhi.
Setting up of an independent office to probe and prosecute corruption is expected to add transparency and accountability to the decision-making and administrative processes while alleviating systemic malpractices. The legislation can play a positive role in improving confidence across various sections of society and industry. The endeavour towards enhancing transparency and bringing greater probity in public life would help in the country’s overall growth and development.
But some critics suggest the bill will make government policymakers reluctant to take any decision for fear of corruption charges. Questions are also already being raised if the new law in itself would be enough to combat corruption.
Sceptics, especially Hazare’s former close aide and founder of the Aam Aadmi Party, Arvind Kejriwal, has termed the Lokpal bill as Jokepal bill, deriding it as toothless and meaningless. However, Hazare himself is pragmatic, saying a great service would be done to the nation even if 50% of corruption stops.
“Lokpal must become law before the general elections,” said Hazare, who ended a nine-day fast after the bill was passed. “We must continue to be vigilant on how this law is implemented.”