Big day in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow as the Lokpal bill comes up for discussion and voting. Stay with us for all the news.

Here is Team Anna's explanation of the poor turnout at the MMRDA ground in Mumbai.

Kiran Bedi said one should not just go by the number of people who turn
up at the venue, but the support received from the masses on the internet and other means should also be taken into account. Bedi said lakhs of youth have been expressing their support to the anti-corruption campaign on the internet. 

"There are millions of people who are watching the fast live on television channels. They also support Anna Hazare. It is not necessary for them to come to the venue," she said.

Bedi also said Team Anna would continue to create awareness among the public on Lokpal and will fight till the end.

For those of you who missed the Lokpal debate in the Lok Sabha yesterday, watch these videos.

Kapil Sibal rebuts Sushma Swaraj on the Lokpal Bill

More on the quashing of the ban on the Gita in a Russian court.

ISKCON members have alleged that the Russian Orthodox Church was behind the court case as it wanted to limit their activities. The case had created a storm back in India and even the Parliamentary proceedings had been affected by it.

Speaking in Parliament, foreign minister SM Krishna had said the lawsuit was the work of "ignorant and misdirected or motivated individuals." He had also called the complaint "patently absurd".

What you should know about the Bhagwad Gita ban:

Read these stories on rediff.com:

Gita controversy: Three views, three solutions

India takes up Gita issue with Russia

Just in: A Russian court has rejected the application seeking a ban on a translated version of the Bhagvad Gita, claims ISKCON.

Prosecutors in the Siberian city of Tomsk have argued that the Russian translation of "Bhagvad Gita As It Is' promotes "social discord' and hatred toward nonbelievers.

The text is a combination of the Bhagvad Gita, one of Hinduism's holiest scriptures, and commentary by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness that is often called the Hare Krishna movement.

China today said it was ready to "actively develop" ties with both Japan and India as the official media expressed apprehension over Japanese Prime
Minister Yoshihiko Noda's maiden visit to New Delhi, raising concern that it could be part of an effort to "contain" China. 

Noda concluded a two-day visit to China on December 26 during which some important agreements were reached on promoting Sino-Japanese ties.

In other news:

Chimpanzee, the sidekick from the 1930s Tarzan flicks dies At 80. Read the story on the Huff Post

Do the sarpanch and the villagers from Ralegan Siddhi who were expected to arrive at the MMRDA grounds today know the fast has been called off?

Arvind Kejriwal says there will be a jail bharo andolan at a later date at the right time.

Anna on Baba Ramdev at the 'press conference' at MMRDA:

Ramdeo has a very strong agitation against blackmoney, and he has continued to give us a support. He had come to the Ramlila ground to support us. We are all going to be fighting this war together. 

Wasn't Baba Ramdev supposed to join Anna's fast? Guess Team Anna has SMSed him stay back in Haridwar, now that they know that the government did not put a jammer in the cell phone networks yesterday.

Conspiracy theorists within Team Anna blamed the government for the disruption in the Airtel network, when in fact, there was a fire at the data centre.

Anna on quote:

"It will take time for the situation and the government to change. But we must try. You and me, we should stand firm. Gandhiji has asked to be fearless. The fight has started and it is long. It's my request to all, young and old, to stay connected with us. And whenever we have to agitate or protest we should do it together. Hence our togetherness is important."

Does this mean Anna/team members will enter politics?

Anna: The future of the country lies in the ballot box.

If you've just joined us, Anna's next stop is the Ramlila Ground in Delhi. He will fast there from Dec 30 (tomorrow) to January 2.

Wonder how many supporters will sacrifice New Year parties to sit and fast in almost sub-zero temperatures in Delhi.

Anna continues to ramble...

Meanwhile, here's how the numbers stack for the UPA in the Rajya Sabha. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011 passed by Lok Sabha yesterda will be discussed next by the Rajya Sabha tomorrow after which it comes up for voting. Unlike the Lok Sabha, where the UPA government holds a majority in the House, the composition is different in Rajya Sabha.

See

Anna appeals to the youth (MIA on Day 1 and Day 2 of the fast) to join the jail bharo andolan, beginning tomorrow. He says he is ready to go to jail himself. That's unlikely to happen given he is too unwell to fast.  

Announcing that he will be touring the five poll-bound states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab to campaign against the Congress party for its "weak' Lokpal bill, he said the schedule will be announced shortly.

Breaking his fast at the MMRDA grounds in Mumbai on Wednesday, Anna Hazare announced that he would be ending his fast today, a day ahead of schedule, but it would be continued in New Delhi from December 30 to Jan 1 at the familiar Ramleela maidan

The social activist, who has been leading a citizens' movement for a strong Lokpal, also announced that he will be touring the five poll-bound states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab to campaign against the Congress party for its "weak' Lokpal bill.

Finally, Anna Hazare's first speech at MMRDA on Day 2 of the fast.

Says, dictators are ruling the nation. Even after the British left we do not have good governance. Our is fight is for the common man and all citizens should be ready to go to jail. (Jail bharo andolan begins on the 30th).

Here's what the Trinamool wants from the Lokpal Bill.

• It will not allow any tampering with the federal structure
• It will move an amendment to the provision in the Lokpal which relates to Lokayuktas. They want the provision to be modified. The party has objection to the provision in the Bill which makes it mandatory for states to set up Lokayuktas.

Update on the Anuj Bidve murder: Police have arrested a fourth person over the shooting of the student Indian in Manchester, as it emerged that he may have been murdered after failing to give the gunman the time. 

On the Telegraph, UK

News from Anna's Ramlila rally:

Shanti Bhushan, who is the face of Team Anna at the Delhi rally said: "What had not happened in the past 42 years, has happened. A Lokpal, however, weak was passed yesterday in the Lok Sabha. It looks like the UPA government will fall before 2014. Many of UPA's constituents, like the Trinamool are not in full support of what is going on."

He noted that if the Rajya Sabha does not pass the Lokpal, then there might be a Joint session. "Due to this movement, all the parties are afraid.Yesterday, the Constitution Amendment Bill to give constitutional status to Lokpal, as proposed by Rahul Gandhi, failed in Parliament.

"15 members of Congress were absent from the proceedings despite a whip. This shows that even many young MP's in the party are supporting a strong Lokpal," he claimed.

In other news:

Egypt's ousted leader Hosni Mubarak was brought back to a Cairo's courtroom on Wednesday for the resumption of his trial after a three months' break. Read the Huffington Post report.

Reporting from the MMRDA grounds Toral Varia Deshpande says, Arvind Kejriwal announces: "We reject the Lokpal Bill as passed by the government in the Lok Sabha yesterday. It is not a Parliament's bill, but a bill of the ruling party. It is a dangerous bill, it has gone back to square one. This bill is a danger to all the people of India." 

Anna Hazare is likely to comment on the Parliamentary proceedings. He has a notepad and pen in hand.

After the embarrassment in Lok Sabha yesterday, an angry Congress President Sonia Gandhi today sought the list of party MPs who remained absent during voting on the Constitution Amendment Bill on Lokpal amid moves to issue show
cause notices to them.

Sources said party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who had floated the idea of granting constitutional status to Lokpal, is also furious after the bill failed to get through in the Lok Sabha yesterday because of want of requisite
numbers.

According to preliminary details, 16 MPs of the UPA were absent. Of them, six Congress MPs are from Gujarat, including Union Minister Dinsha Patel who was at home in connection with the marriage of his grand-daughter.

Among others who were said to be absent were K Sudhakaran (Kerala), Hamdullah Sayeed (Lakshadweep), K Raj Gopal Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) and M Rajamohan Reddy. Reddy is a supporter of YSR Congress leader Jaganmohan Reddy and has already submitted his resignation to Lok Sabha
Speaker Meira Kumar. Three MPs of DMK and two of Trinamool Congress were also absent.

The sources said Sonia Gandhi was angry and has tasked party MPs Girija Vyas and Sandeep Dikshit to prepare the list and find out the reasons for the absence. A show cause notice would be issued to the absentee MPs, they said.

Rahul Gandhi broke his silence for the first time since the Lokpal Bill was passed and the Constitutional Amendment to the Lokpal Bill was voted down, yesterday.

Sounding miffed, he said the government is committed to a strong Lokpal. There was a lot of rhetoric by the BJP, but they did not vote in favour.

Unlike yesterday, Team Anna can finally be heard. Arvind Kejriwal is speaking at the MMRDA ground. Hazare certainly looks under-the-weather as compared to yesterday.

Between the Parliament debate on the Lokpal Bill in the LS yesterday and Team Anna's rally at MMRDA, guess which event TV channels choose to cover. So, unless the LS was adjourned for lunch, Team Anna was always on mute.

At the MMRDA grounds, Toral Varia meets IBN Lokmat's Editor-in-Chief Nikhil Wagle. Wagle says Anna may break his fast today. Read the interview

Anna Hazare and his organisation - India Against Corruption - has made it into the American spy agency CIA's World Factbook as a political pressure group in India, joining the league of RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP and the Hurriyat Conference. Hazare (74) finds mention under the category 'Political pressure groups and leaders'. 

"All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley (separatist group); Bajrang Dal (religious organisation); India Against Corruption (Anna Hazare); Jamiat Ulema-e Hind (religious organisation); Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh [Mohan Bhagwat] (religious organisation); Vishwa Hindu Parishad [Ashok Singhal] (religious organisation)," says the CIA under the named category on the India page.

The page was last updated on December 20.

Breaking news: The Lokpal Bill will NOT be debated in Rajya Sabha today, it will only be the Whistleblowers' bill today.

Lokpal Bill to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha shortly along with the Whistleblowers' Bill. Whether it will voted today is not decided since it has to be debated first.  

Most of Lok Sabha amendments included in the bill.  

An angry Sonia Gandhi seeks the list of Congress MPs who were absent
during voting on the Constitution Amendment Bill on the Lokpal in the Lok
Sabha yesterday.

Just in: SP's Mulayam Singh Yadav says the party may suggest further amendments to the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Remember, it's the SP and the BSP that hold the key to the bill nod in the RS since the Congress does not have the numbers. Mulayam says the party is yet to take a final call on voting today.

The UPA faces an uphill task to get Lokpal bill passed in Rajya Sabha as it has 99 MPs in the Upper House and the opposition has about 131. As the UPA does not have the numbers the role of SP and BSP during voting assumes importance.

If the SP and BSP abstain from voting in Rajya Sabha on the lokpal bill - as they did in Lok Sabha on Tuesday - the government stands in with a chance to get the legislation passed, but with a wafer-thin majority.

Speaking to rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa, Justice Santhosh Hegde, says that he is unable to understand the Lokpal Bill and its present position. "In fact no one knows what Parliament is doing. There are so many amendments, many accepted and many rejected. The present shape of the Lokpal Bill has no clarity whatsoever," he says.

Regarding, Anna Hazare and his protest, Justice Hegde says many are critical of Anna's stubbornness and feel that the Parliament must be given time. "But we need to support him instead of criticising him. Every issue has its pros and cons. I was with him yesterday. Yes, the crowd turnout has not been very impressive, but it doesn't mean that the issue has died down. There was a lot of enthusiasm that people showed to the lead up to the protest."

Full interview on rediff.com shortly.

Toral Varia reporting from the MMRDA grounds in Mumbai puts the turnout at 300 including the media and the security personnel.

She says Suresh Pathare, Anna's aide, says they are trying to convince him to give up his fast. Decision likely this evening or may be earlier earlier, says Pathare. Remember, Anna always breaks his fast before sundown.

Ibn Lokmat editor Nikhil Wagle is expected to meet with Anna to gauge his mood.

Must read on rediff.com: The tragic story of Anuj Bidwe, who was shot dead by a man who asked for the time. Prasanna Zore speaks to his family in Pune.

Also on the Daily Mail: What's the time, asked the stranger...then he pulled a gun and shot this innocent man in the head

Who will the debate the bills in the Rajya Sabha yet to be decided, but when that happens, you know we will have it here.

Just in: The President has given her approval of the Lokpal Bill in the wake of the amendments made to it in the Lok Sabha yesterday. It can now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha.

Rajiv Shukla, minister of state for Parliament Affairs says there will be a debate on either the Lokpal Bill or the Whistleblowers' Bill today. Both the bills will be tabled in the RS today.   

The TMC, a Congress ally, which met at railway minister Mukul Roy's residence today said it will clarify the language of the bill regarding the Lokayukta clause. Yesterday, the Lokayuktas were held to be autonomous and therefore would not fall under the purview of the Lokpal.

The TMC says it will look at the final copy of the Lokpal Bill before taking a call.

The government says that both the Lokpal Bill and the Whistleblowers Bill will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha at 2 pm today. No decision yet on whether the debates, discussions will be held today. Or for that matter, whether it will be voted today.

Voicing disappointment over the passage of a "useless" Lokpal Bill in Lok Sabha, Team Anna today said it appeared the legislation is headed for a joint
session of Parliament as the Rajya Sabha may pass a version different from the one already passed. 

Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan said the bill passed  in Lok Sabha was "useless" as it was not the one people asked for. "Our protest and fast is on. We will now see what will happen in Rajya Sabha," Bhushan said. This bill is "very weak" as it has not given any prosecution powers to Lokpal besides keeping CBI out of the ombudsman's ambit, he said. 

Toral Varia reporting from the MMRDA grounds says doctors who checked Anna Hazare at 12 pm confirm he is weak. His blood pressure is 130/90 standing, his toungue is dry and his skin shows signs of dehydration. Anna is still running a fever of 100, down from 102 last night. 

However, his chest and throat are clear and his heart is functioning normally. His Sodium and Chlorides levels are lows. Doctors from the government's JJ Hospital and the private hospital, Breach Candy, strongly advice him to discontue fasting as they are worried it may lead to kidney failure. Doctors say, "We reaffirm that further fasting is discouraged."

In Parliament, much bonhomie after yesterday's Lokpal Bill fireworks. Our Delhi correspondent says that Pranab Mukherjee today greeted Arun Jaitley on his birthday and discussed the political strategies about the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha

The government has also opened back channel negotiations with the Opposition to ensure a smooth passage in the RS. GK Vasan Union Minister for Shipping also celebrated his birthday today.

The bill is expected to move into the Rajya Sabha for consideration on today. The UPA faces an uphill task to get Lokpal bill passed in Rajya Sabha as it has 99 MPs in the Upper House and the opposition has about 131. As the UPA does not have the numbers the role of SP and BSP during voting assumes importance.

If the SP and BSP abstain from voting in Rajya Sabha on the lokpal bill - as they did in Lok Sabha on Tuesday - the government stands in with a chance to get the legislation passed, but with a wafer-thin majority.

Here's what's happening in

Team Anna's protest against a "weak" Lokpal Bill remained a damp squib for the second day today as supporters refused to be drawn to Ramlila Maidan.
Security personnel were more visible as barely 200 people gathered at the 30,000-capacity Maidan in Delhi this morning and even prominent Team Anna members were conspicuous by their absence.

This is in sharp contrast to the 30,000 to 40,000 people who had poured in during Anna Hazare's fast at this venue in August.

His two other fasts at Jantar Mantar in the past eight months had also witnessed a large turnout. Organisers attributed the thin crowd to winter chill and absence of Anna Hazare.

The protest was scheduled to start at 10 am but even after an hour, the Ramlila Maidan wore a deserted look with a handful of supporters.

Recorded music was played at the venue with the supporters waving tricolour and launching into sporadic sloganeering against government. The protest had elicited a lukewarm response yesterday with the programme starting with a low 500 turnout. This morning the numbers dwindled.

Meira Kumar is trending on Twitter: Here's a tweet: If Meira Kumar stood up & said "We are checking ALL your sources of income right now, Kripiya Baith Jaiye." we'd have a Superb viral video.  

Nikhil Wagle: Meira kumar is exceptional! Speaker with a golden voice!

Smita Prakash: Meira Kumar got angry today, she snapped at MPs. Oh man!

Avinash Iyer: Oxymoron : Speaker Meira Kumar.

On Twitter: Why do we say ayes? Why are we a clone experiment gone wrong of the British?

Tend to agree...

This is what Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal said today, "Hopefully, the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011 will be tabled in Rajya Sabha this afternoon, but one thing is certain, it cannot be taken up unless Rajya Sabha decides to sit late like we did in Lok Sabha. Then only perhaps it could be passed today. Otherwise it will be passed tomorrow, but it will be taken up for
consideration today."

Earlier, Union Minister V Narayanasamy said the Lokpal Bill is unlikely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha today. 

The Lokpal Bill will have to get presidential assent in the wake of amendments made to it in the Lok Sabha yesterday and it can be tabled in the Rajya Sabha after that, he said. After getting the President's clearance, even if the Bill is tabled today in Rajya Sabha, it will be very late, he said.

Bansal also alleged that BJP had conspired to not confer Constitutional status to Lokpal.

Yesterday, Lok Sabha was finally adjourned for the day at 12.15 am.

PK Bansal says the Lokpal Bill may be taken up for consideration/tabled in the RS today and voting may take place today or tomorrow.

Yet Rashtrapati Bhavan says it has received no missive from the government.

Yet, this is the Parliament schedule today.

LOK SABHA

1. Judicial Standards and Accountability Bil, 2010
2. Constitution (114th Amendment Bill, 2010)

RAJYA SABHA

1. The Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University Bill, 2011
2. The Higher Education and Research Bill, 2011
3. The Constitution (111th Amendment) Bill, 2009
4. The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2011
5. The National Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2011
6. The Educational Tribunals Bill, 2010
7. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences, Bangalore Bill, 2010
8. The Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2010
9. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2010
10. The Architects (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

So where's the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha? 

OK, contrary view coming up.

PK Bansal, who is the Parliamentary Affairs minister says the Lokpal Bill will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha today. Earlier, Narayanswamy, who is MoS PMO, said it will be tabled tomorrow. Meanwhile, Rashtrapati Bhawan is still awaiting a request from the government for tabling the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill in Rajya Sabha.

A news brief from the MMRDA grounds, the Anna fast that everyone seems to have forgotten. Rediff.com's Rajesh Karkera says that Ratna Pathak, the head of the cardiology department at KEM Hospital checked Anna at 8.15 am. Temperature today has fallen to 100 as compared to 102 yesterday, pulse rate is 72 per minute, BP 152/90.

As we wait for the Parliament to convene at 11 am, Lalu Prasad Yadav yesterday managed to make the PM not only smile, but laugh.

In a speech, that was of course witty, Lalu, said that he had absolute faith in PM's honesty and, therefore, recommend him to take over as the Lokpal. As the House roared in laughter, the RJD leader said that his choice enjoyed the endorsement of the majority.

"You leave this post for somebody else. Let these people (Congress benches) decide your successor and take over as Lokpal," said Lalu.

At another point in his speech, Lalu dipped into Mahabharata to make the argument that Lokpal Bill will enfeeble the CBI, leaving it to serve two many masters. He said, "Draupadi had five husbands, CBI will have nine."

Read the rest of the historic day in Parliament yesterday.

Narayanswamy says a showcause notice would be taken against MPs who were not present in the Lok Sabha yesterday. The Lokpal Bill was finally passed at around 11 pm yesterday with 10 amendments and walkouts by the Opposition.

MoS Parliamentary Affairs Narayanswamy says the Lokpal Bill will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow. The papers have been sent to the President, who is in Hyderabad, for her signature, and only then can the bill be presented in the RS.

Today, Congress spokesperson Digvijay Singh, wanted to know whether Anna Hazare and his colleagues would stage a dharna in front of L K Advani's
residence pleading that the BJP not oppose the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
"BJP opposes Constitutional Amendment for giving strength to Lokpal and Lokayukts in the States where 95 per cent corruption takes place. "No reaction against BJP from Team Anna. Now BJP would again try to defeat Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha. Would like to see Team Anna's reaction," he said in a tweet.

The morning after the Lokpal Bill with amendments was passed, Sonia Gandhi hit out at the BJP saying its real face was exposed. Sonia's ire comes in the wake of the opposition rejecting the Constitution amendment Bill on the Lokpal, which would have made it a constitutional body. She said, "We wanted to strengthen the Lokpal Bill, but the BJP did not want it."

Remember, this was proposed by Rahul Gandhi during the Parliament's monsoon session.

Good morning. After a day of high drama yesterday, and much to the suprise of naysayers, the Lokpal Bill was tabled yesterday.

The Lokpal papers have now to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha, but before that happens, it needs President Pratibha Patil's signature. Since the president is in Hyderabad right now a special Emissary has been sent for her signature.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight expressed disappointment over the Constitution Amendment Bill on Lokpal failing in the Lok Sabha.

"This is a bit of disappointment, that it could not be passed," he said after the embarrassment faced by thegovernment in the House. At the same time, he underlined that the government had fulfilled its objective of bringing the two bills to Parliament.

With the Constitutional Amendment Bill providing constitutional status to the Lokpal defeated in the Lok Sabha, BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has said the government has lots its moral right to be in power.

     Click here to read more on the Lokpal Bill debate in the Lok Sabha