Government trying for consensus on Lokpal bill
May 14th, 2012 - 10:50 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) The government Monday said it was committed to the controversial Lokpal bill but would bring the legislation in the Rajya Sabha this session only if a consensus is reached on it.
Sources said four cabinet ministers - Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy - are holding informal consultations with various political parties to evolve a consensus.
As part of the exercise, the group has consulted the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the last two parties supporting the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) from outside.
The bill could not be passed in the upper house in the winter session in 2011 as the UPA does not have a majority there.
“We are hopeful that the bill will be passed though there could be some differences,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal told reporters.
He, however, said the government was not sure if the amended bill would be taken to the Lok Sabha as the ongoing budget session ends May 22 and the government wants to pass certain important bills before that date.
The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) do not want the government to bring the legislation at all, saying it is being pushed under pressure from Anna Hazare.
Sources said while there is a general consensus on separating the Lokayuktas in states from the Lokpal bill, as demanded by the majority in the all-party meetings on the issue called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh March 23, sticking points like bringing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Group C employees under the anti-graft ombudsman remain to be resolved.
Sources said the government would like to take the proposed amendments to the cabinet before presenting the bill in the upper house.
The sources hinted that since the upper house has already debated the bill in detail during the winter session last year, this time it would be a shorter discussion on the proposed legislation.
- Government begins efforts to reach consensus on Lokpal bill - May 10, 2012
- Lokayukta out of Lokpal, bill in Rajya Sabha May 21 - May 15, 2012
- Taking Lokayukta out of Lokpal bill: Cabinet to decide - Apr 04, 2012
- Cabinet to discuss Lokpal bill Tuesday, Hazare calls it worthless (Roundup) - Dec 19, 2011
- Bansal appeals to Lok Sabha to pass Lokpal bill - Dec 26, 2011
- Rajya Sabha to take up Lokpal debate Thursday (Third Lead) - Dec 28, 2011
- Parliament passes MCI amendment bill - May 10, 2012
- Lokpal Bill may not be passed in budget session - May 07, 2012
- Government plans Lokpal bill in winter session; Anna threatens agitation - Dec 15, 2011
- Government seeks support on Lokpal, opposition for changes (Second Lead) - Dec 26, 2011
- BJP, Congress seek to pin down each other on Lokpal bill fiasco (Intro-Roundup) - Dec 31, 2011
- No consensus on women's quota bill: Bansal - Jul 29, 2011
- All party meet likely on Lokpal bill - Mar 21, 2012
- Lokpal bill listed to be tabled in Rajya Sabha (Lead) - May 21, 2012
- Lokpal bill in Rajya Sabha likely Wednesday afternoon - Dec 28, 2011
Tags: anna hazare, bahujan samaj party, bansal, budget session, central bureau of investigation, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, informal consultations, kapil sibal, law minister, Lok Sabha, manmohan singh, parliamentary affairs, party meetings, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, progressive alliance, proposed amendments, rajya sabha, Samajwadi Party