Rajya Sabha likely to debate Lokpal Bill on Monday: Govt

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: On a day when anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare’s fast for Lokpal Bill entered third day, it emerged that the Rajya Sabha may take up the legislation for discussion on Monday. Earlier reports had said that the government may table the Bill as early as tomorrow. Satyavrat Chaturvedi, chairman of the select committee that looked into the anti-corruption Bill, said the legislation was likely to be debated upon on Monday. "The government has proposed a discussion on Lokpal Bill on Monday," Chaturvedi told reporters here. He said the Rajya Sabha Secretariat has allotted six hours for the discussion. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had earlier in the day said that the select committee has given a notice to the Rajya Sabha Chairman to take up the Lokpal Bill immediately. "The select committee, headed by Minister of State in Prime Minister Office (PMO) V Narayanasamy, has already sent a notice that the Bill be immediately taken up in the Rajya Sabha," Shinde told reporters here. He added, "The Lokpal Bill has been passed from the Lok Sabha and has gone to the Rajya Sabha. The select committee in the Rajya Sabha had recommended 13 amendments to the Bill and that were also considered by the government." Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath had also said today, "Our priority is Lokpal Bill. The Lokpal Bill has to be taken up in Rajya Sabha, and then it will come up in Lok Sabha," adding the government will list the measure in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow. The development came amid clarification by Kamal Nath that the government was not planning to curtail the Winter Session of Parliament. The Lokpal Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in the Winter Session last year, has been majorly amended by the select committee. The government said it has accepted some of the amendments. Once passed by the Rajya Sabha, the amended Bill will have to be returned to the Lok Sabha for approval before it becomes law.