India passes tough anti-corruption bill

India's parliament on Wednesday approved an anti-graft bill that empowers an independent ombudsman to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption by politicians and civil servants, following a series of scandals that has angered the public.

The legislation says the country's top investigative agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, must act on all cases referred to it by the ombudsman. Its investigative scope includes even the prime minister. The bill will become law after being signed by the president, which is considered a formality.

The legislation reflects widespread public dissatisfaction with official corruption after a slew of scandals recently hit the government. The problem, however, was not new. According to Transparency International, an anti-corruption monitoring group, about 54 percent of Indians polled in 2010 said they had had to pay a bribe that year. A full 74 percent said corruption in India had increased in recent years. 

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, who had pushed for the bill, ended a nine-day hunger strike after the lower house passed the "Lokpal" or watchdog bill on Wednesday, a day after it cleared the upper house. 

The ruling Congress party and its primary opposition Bharatiya Janata Party combined forces to push passage of the bill, which had been on hold since 2011, when it was approved by the lower house, but not the upper house. In the interim, several amendments were added, which made it necessary for both houses to approve it again.

The Congress party was eager to have the bill passed by Parliament after a debacle in recent state elections. With national elections due to be held early in 2014, the party was hoping to silence criticism of the government's delays in getting the legislation through Parliament.

Both parties saw the surge of public support for the anti-corruption movement, and joined forces to ensure passage of the bill rather than be seen on the wrong side of people’s sentiments with national elections a few months away.

Al Jazeera and The Associated Press