The lower house of the Indian parliament has passed a bill to create an anti-corruption ombudsman.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told MPs the public was angry about the extent of official corruption and his government is determined to combat it.
The Lokpal bill was passed by the lower house of parliament after a near 10-hour debate involving speeches by nearly 40 MPs late on Tuesday.
It is likely to be put to vote in the upper house on Thursday, where it needs to be passed in order to become law.
The vote came as the popular activist, Anna Hazare, who is 74, began a fast in Mumbai, to demand much tougher legislation.
Mr Hazare's supporters have appealed to him to end his latest fast because they are worried about his health.
