Lokpal Bill will be sent to President today: Narayanswamy

New Delhi, Dec 28: The Lokpal Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha the day before is unlikely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Union Minister V Narayanasamy said the Lokpal Bill will have to get presidential assent in the wake of amendments made to it in the Lok Sabha the day before and it can be tabled in the Rajya Sabha after that.

''After getting the President's clearance, even if the Bill is tabled today in Rajya Sabha, it will be very late," he said.

President Pratibha Patil is away in Hyderabad for her winter sojourn and so seeking clearance from her involves a little time.

In the 245-member Rajya Sabha, the Congress and its allies account for only 92 and fall short of a simple majority.

"The next step is that the bill be taken to Rajya Sabha after getting the assent of the President, carrying out the amendments. After the President's assent only the bill will be placed before Rajya Sabha," Narayanasamy said.

"It will be placed in the Rajya Sabha hopefully tomorrow for the purpose of consideration and passing and we are talking to our allies and political parties, because we want to the pass the Lokpal Bill as passed in Lok Sabha," the Union Minister of State in the PMO said.

Narayanasamy admitted that the UPA did not have the numbers in Rajya Sabha. "It will work with the allies and others to ensure that the Bill is passed," he said.

PTI