New Delhi, June 28: The Lok Pal Bill seeking to check corruption in high places and bringing within its ambit Prime Minister was today approved by the Union Cabinet with plans to get it passed in the ensuing monsoon session of Parliament. The Cabinet gave the nod after rejecting a suggestion of a commission that the Prime Minister be kept out of the ombudsman's purview.

The report of the parliamentary standing committee on the legislation including the recommendation that it be a simple measure and not a Constitutional Amendment Bill, was accepted by the Cabinet, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told reporters. It also agreed to the suggestion of Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani that the bill should be passed in the monsoon session of Parliament.

The committee had submitted its recommendations on December 31, 2001. The bill was introduced for the fourth time in Parliament on August 14, 2001 and then referred to the parliamentary committee. It was earlier introduced in 1989, 1996 and 1998 but all the attempts had failed in the past.

Bureau Report