June 21, 2011 6:02 PM

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Ninth and final meet on Lokpal Bill ends

The ninth and final meeting of the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill ended in New Delhi, where the civil society activists and the government exchanged their versions on various aspects of the bill. Briefing the media after the meeting, HRD Minister, Kapil Sibal said that both the sides discussed salient features of the Bill. He said that Government will introduce a strong anti-corruption bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament as promised to the people of India. Mr. Sibal said that differences remain on six key issues which will be now taken to the all party meeting next month before sending it to the Cabinet for final approval. Talking to reporters, noted lawyer Prashant Bhusan said, the government draft does not include Prime Minister within the ambit of the Bill as also the higher judiciary and conduct of MPs inside the House, besides differences on some procedural issues. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has convened a meeting of the UPA leaders this evening to ascertain the views of the alliance partners over the drafting of the Lokpal Bill. There has been divergence of views among UPA allies on the inclusion of the post of the Prime Minister under the Lokpal's purview. The government has already said that it would convene an all-party meeting in July to discuss various aspects of the Bill.

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