Thaindian News

New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS) Urging members of the Lok Sabha to pass the Lokpal Bill unanimously, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday night said the government was sensitive to points made by various political parties and has agreed to bring a large number of amendments to the anti-corruption ombudsman legislation.

In his reply to the nine-hour long debate on the bill, Mukherjee, Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha, said the amendments have been brought to the bill so that consent of states was taken on notification concerning the Lokayukta.

He said provisions in section 24 of the bill were also being amended.

Section 24 of the bill allows presiding officers to act on the basis of a Lokpal report. The Lok Sabha speaker or the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is required to table the Lokpal report and inform Lokpal about the action being taken, or not being taken, against the members concerned.

Mukherjee urged the members to pass the bill unanimously.

“Let us pass this bill because people are waiting…We are determined to curb the menace of corruption. We shall convey this message by passing the bills unanimously,” Mukherjee said.

He said the government accepted Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj’s suggestion that any decision of Lokpal to initiate preliminary inquiry or investigation against the prime minister shall be taken only by the full bench with a majority of two-thirds. The bill had said that such a decision shall be taken by three-fourths majority.

Mukherjee said armed forces will be put under the purview of the Lokpal.

Several members said during the discussion that the bill impinged upon the rights of the states in enacting Lokayukta bills.

“We are going to bring the amendment that without the consent of state government, notification under section 14 will not be issued,” Mukherjee said.