Lokpal Bill passed:Constitution Amendment Bill defeated

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday night passed a historic Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011, but defeated a parallel Constitution (116th Amendment) Bill, which would have given the Lokpal constitutional status.

In a major embarrassment to the UPA government, Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee admitted that the government did not have the requisite two-thirds majority to get the Constitution Amendment adopted. “It is a sad day for democracy,” he said.

Mr. Mukherjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of not helping to strengthen the Lokpal and Lokayuktas by giving them constitutional status, even as there was a sharp exchange of words between the treasury and the main Opposition benches.