India upper house MPs to vote on anti-corruption bill

A debate has commenced in India’s upper house of parliament before casting votes on a controversial anti-corruption bill to make it law.

The upper house is likely to take place today after several changes were agreed upon between Opposition parties and government.

An independent ombudsman will be given the power to prosecute politicians and civil servants once the Lokpal bill is successfully processed.

After nearly 10 hours of debating, the lower house passed the bill on Tuesday and the meeting involving speeches by 40 MPs.

Although the bill was passed, a separate bill, which was a key demand of the Congress party, to give constitutional status to the ombudsman was not passed.

The bill was said to be useless according to campaigner Anna Hazare who threatened to launch  a campaign of civil disobedience after ending his fast.

Hazare warned that such a campaign would fill the country’s jails.