LS set to discuss Jan Lokpal today
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Trust of India
New Delhi, August 25 2011:
Anna Hazare's major demand is set to be met with the Government on Thursday deciding to have a discussion in the Lok Sabha on Thursday on the Jan Lokpal Bill.
Sources said the discussion will take place on the Bill in the shape of a "document" and its salient features after which the records of the debate are expected to be sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee examining the Lokpal Bill.
It was, however, not clear immediately whether the debate would be held under Rule 193 or Rule 184, which entails voting.
The wording of such a motion could ask for a discussion on the Jan Lokpal and other Bills like the one prepared by Roy so that these be sent to the Standing Committee for its consideration for making a strong Lokpal Bill, sources said.
The decision in this regard was reached during hectic parleys within the Government, which included Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Subsequently, Dr Singh held consultations with senior Ministerial colleagues Pranab Mukherjee and AK Antony.
The decision to hold the discussion marks meeting of a major demand of Hazare who said only then he would decide on ending his ten-day fast.
Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal held hectic consultations with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also the Leader of the Lok Sabha.
Bansal held the discussions soon after Hazare reacted to the Parliament's appeal to end his fast and demanded that it discuss from Friday three key issues on Jan Lokpal and create an agreement first.
He has warned that if the Parliament failed to do this, he will not end the fast.
Bansal later also had a meeting with Law Minister Salman Khurshid apparently to work out the format for such a discussion.
East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit, who also been involved in negotiations with Team Anna, was also present in the meeting.
The meetings took place on a day when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Lok Sabha that Parliament will find effective ways and means to discuss the Jan Lokpal Bill, along with the Government version of the Bill, Aruna Roy's Bill and the paper presented by Jaiprakash Narayan.