Thaindian News

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury said Wednesday the government should come with solid proposals on Lokpal bill and emphasised that his party wanted inclusion of prime minister in the purview of the proposed ombudsman.

Coming out of the all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Yechury told reporters: “Till the time we get firm proposals from the government, it is not possible to give our views.”

He also said the CPI-M favoured inclusion of prime minister with certain conditions and group C employees in the proposed anti-corruption ombudsman.

The party also favoured bringing conduct of MPs on the floor of house in situations such as vitiated trust vote under the Lokpal, he said.

He said the government may convene another all-party meeting or come up with its proposals in the form of modified bill which will be debated in the parliament.

Party leader Basudeb Acharia told IANS that the party wanted inclusion of prime minister in Lokpal purview with exceptions to his work related to public order and internal security.

He said Group C and D employees may also be included in the proposed ombudsman under appropriate mechanism and corruption cases being handled by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should also fall in its purview.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also favoured inclusion of prime minister in the purview of Lokpal with some conditions and also group C employees.

Official sources said that the government conveyed to members at the meeting that it had noted views of political parties and will modify the bill in the light of suggestions of members and recommendations of the standing committee.

They said the government had not given a commitment about passage of the bill in this winter session.