NEW DELHI, December 18 (PTI): The Union Cabinet is expected to consider tomorrow the much-awaited Lokpal Bill that is likely to bring Prime Minister under the proposed anti-graft ombudsman with certain conditions and provide for creation of an independent prosecution directorate. The bill, which is expected to be tabled in Parliament before the end of the current session, is being finetuned by an informal group of ministers comprising finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, home minister P Chidambaram, law minister Salman Khurshid and MoS Personnel V
Narayanasamy.
The Cabinet, which met tonight, saw some deliberations on the legislation but the detailed note on the subject is expected to formally come up before Cabinet meeting tomorrow, possibly in the evening. Prior to that, the ministers concerned are expected to brief Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the changes being made in the Lokpal Bill, sources said. While the bill will see incorporation of recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee which examined it, the government has made it clear that it was open to other ideas that emanated at the all-party meeting convened by the Prime Minister on
Wednesday.
"You all know that how many days are left (for Parliament session). We have literally worked day and night to ensure that we meet the deadlines," Law minister Salman Khurshid told reporters. "Let us just get the Bill done and bring it to the Cabinet so that it can be brought before Parliament as quickly as possible," he said amid the looming threat of Anna Hazare to go on hunger strike from December 27 if the legislation is not enacted by then.
Referring to the various proposals floating around, Khurshid said, "the Government is not taking up anything as outstanding view but finetuning keeping in mind the basic structure of the law... to ensure that we take public confidence with us because we are also determined and commited to a very powerful
Lokpal Bill."
Narayanasamy.
The Cabinet, which met tonight, saw some deliberations on the legislation but the detailed note on the subject is expected to formally come up before Cabinet meeting tomorrow, possibly in the evening. Prior to that, the ministers concerned are expected to brief Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the changes being made in the Lokpal Bill, sources said. While the bill will see incorporation of recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee which examined it, the government has made it clear that it was open to other ideas that emanated at the all-party meeting convened by the Prime Minister on
Wednesday.
"You all know that how many days are left (for Parliament session). We have literally worked day and night to ensure that we meet the deadlines," Law minister Salman Khurshid told reporters. "Let us just get the Bill done and bring it to the Cabinet so that it can be brought before Parliament as quickly as possible," he said amid the looming threat of Anna Hazare to go on hunger strike from December 27 if the legislation is not enacted by then.
Referring to the various proposals floating around, Khurshid said, "the Government is not taking up anything as outstanding view but finetuning keeping in mind the basic structure of the law... to ensure that we take public confidence with us because we are also determined and commited to a very powerful
Lokpal Bill."
