New Delhi: The Lok Sabha passed the historic Lokpal Bill towards ratification after waiting for 40 years. On December 17, Tuesday, the anti-corruption Bill sailed through the Rajya Sabha with the support of opposition parties.

The Gandhian activist Anna Hazare and his supporters celebrated the passing of the Bill that they had campaigned for so persistently for years. The 76-year-old Lokpal crusader, who is on the ninth day of his indefinite fast, had said he would end his fast once the Bill was passed in both houses.

The Rajya Sabha held a debate for four hours to acknowledge the bill, which proposes a national ombudsman to investigate wrongdoing in government. Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, appeared to target the ruling Congress as she criticized attempts to take credit for pushing the Lokpal Bill.

The keenness of the ruling Congress to ensure that the bill is passed is attributed to the massive losses it suffered in the recent assembly elections.
The government’s key ally Mulayam Singh Yadav and his Samajwadi Party however staged a  walkout after slamming the Bill.