All-party meeting on Lokpal bill Sunday
July 3rd, 2011 - 12:45 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Leaders of all political parties are to meet in the capital Sunday to discuss the anti-graft Lokpal bill.
The meeting was called by the government to evolve a consensus over the contentious provisions in the draft of the proposed bill, especially on bringing the prime minister and the higher judiciary, under the ambit of an ombudsman - a point on which the civil society is insisting.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday said it would be attending the meeting. The decision was announced by BJP leader L.K. Advani after a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders at his residence.
“We will go (for the meeting on Sunday) and convey our viewpoint,” he said.
The all-party meeting comes a day after Gandhian Anna Hazare met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to seek her support for the Jan Lokpal bill - the civil society’s version of the bill.
Political parties remain divided over including the prime minister and judiciary within the ambit of the proposed anti-graft legislation.
Hazare Saturday declared he will go on a fast from Aug 16 if a comprehensive legislation is not brought to parliament.
“If a half-baked bill is sent to parliament, what will the parliament discuss?” Hazare said after the meeting with Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence.
Activist Arvind Kejriwal said civil society representatives had differences on 15 issues with the government representatives on the joint drafting committee.
Hazare and his colleagues had Friday met BJP leaders over the bill.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Saturday said the office of the prime minister should be covered by the Lokpal with adequate safeguards but the judiciary should be kept out of its ambit.
While the Congress favours exclusion of the prime minister and the judiciary from the ambit of the proposed bill, there appears no unanimity in the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on the issue so far.
The DMK, an ally of the Congress, has said it has no reservation in bringing the prime minister within the ambit of the Lokpal while the Nationalist Congress Party said that prime minister, judiciary and MPs should be kept out of purview of the Lokpal.
- All-party meet on Lokpal bill Sunday (Lead) - Jul 03, 2011
- Hazare meets Sonia, parties differ on PM under Lokpal (Roundup) - Jul 02, 2011
- Hazare meets Sonia, to fast again for Lokpal (Lead) - Jul 02, 2011
- Consensus eludes all-party meet on Lokpal bill (Second Lead) - Jul 03, 2011
- NDA, Left attend all-party Lokpal meeting (Lead) - Jul 03, 2011
- All party meet on Lokpal bill ends amid differences (Lead) - Jul 03, 2011
- Government okays key anti-graft bills to counter Anna threat - Dec 14, 2011
- Ahead of June 30 deadline, uncertainty continues over Lokpal bill - Jun 25, 2011
- Hazare meets Sonia, wants comprehensive Lokpal bill - Jul 02, 2011
- NDA leaders meet on Lokpal bill - Jul 02, 2011
- Congress moots all-party meeting, parties divided on Lokpal (Roundup) - Jun 18, 2011
- We want strong Lokpal bill, BJP tells Team Hazare (Lead) - Jul 01, 2011
- PM ready for 'give and take' as Hazare continues fast (Roundup) - Aug 20, 2011
- Lokpal bill comes to parliament, BJP, Team Anna protest (Round-up) - Aug 04, 2011
- Cabinet to discuss Lokpal Tuesday, Hazare calls it worthless (Lead) - Dec 19, 2011
Tags: adequate safeguards, ambit, anna hazare, arvind kejriwal, bharatiya janata party, bjp leaders, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, congress chief, dmk, drafting committee, gandhian, government representatives, half baked, l k advani, national democratic alliance, office of the prime minister, progressive alliance, society representatives, sonia gandhi