Centre delaying strong lokpal bill in parliament

New Delhi, Dec 6: The Parliament Standing Committee, which is drafting the lokpal bill has asked for more time to submit the report on the strong lokpal bill in the winter session.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the panel's chief has sought for four-five days which means that he would submit the report only by next week. He was expected to table the report on Wednesday, Dec 7. The delay happened over the contentious provisions brought on by a lack of consensus within the panel, which has been made up of 30 MPs.

Finding a large number of dissent notes for the bill, Singhvi has called for another round of meetings before finalising the report, said sources. The main issues of contention are are the exclusion of Prime Minister and the lower bureaucracy from the ambit of the bill.

Hamid Ansari, Chairman of Rajya Sabha has asked for an explanation for the delay of the report.

Team Anna has demanded that the bill passed should ensure that the Ombudsman body will investigate allegations of corruption against all 60,000 central government employees, and similarly Lokayukta must do that in every state.

Team Anna is planning to begin a fresh agitation from Dec 27, if the centre fails to pass the bill in this winter session which will end on Dec 21.

OneIndia News