'Lokpal Bill will be tabled in Parliament in monsoon session'

Chennai, Jun 25: With an all-party meeting scheduled on July 3 to discuss the Lokpal Bill, it would be subsequently tabled in the Parliament in the monsoon session, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayansamy said today (Jun 25).

The "bill will certainly be tabled" before the Parliament in the monsoon session starting on August 1, Narayanasamy told reporters at the airport here, adding, Congress alone was taking efforts to bring in the Lokpal Bill despite BJP being in power earlier.

After nine meetings spread over months, the civil society and the government had failed to arrive at a common draft on the bill recently. The drafts of the government and civil society will be circulated among political parties in the meeting before being taken up by the Union Cabinet.

The government draft has ruled out scrutiny of Prime Minister, higher judiciary and the conduct of MPs in Parliament by the Lokpal.

However, it proposes several critical powers conferring quasi-judicial status to Lokpal besides powers to attach assets, independent prosecution and investigation machinery with full police powers under the proposed ombudsman.

PTI