It took nearly five decades, but India’s parliament this week finally approved tough new anti-corruption legislation. Intended to ferret out rampant graft across industries, the Jan Lokpal bill, calls for the creation of a national ombudsman’s office and state-level agencies to investigate and prosecute allegations of government officials and workers receiving bribes. Whistleblower protections are also included.
Variations of the bill have come and gone since 1966, including a 2011 version that finally earned a deciding parliamentary vote this week. Its current resurgence is largely credited to hunger strikes by social activist Anna Hazare and large-scale public protests. The legislation isn’t final just yet. It still must be signed by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, a final approval that is expected to take place soon.
