New Delhi, December 19
The late night meeting of the Union Cabinet that was expected to approve the Lokpal Bill today was postponed to tomorrow as the UPA government’s “legal eagles” were locked in intense deliberations through the day poring over the fine print of the final draft of the proposed legislation.

After a flurry of meetings to clean up the Bill, Law Minister Salman Khurshid said the draft will be shown to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for their green signal after which it will be placed before the Cabinet tomorrow for its approval.

The Centre is faced with the unenviable task of drafting a Bill which appears to accommodate Team Anna’s demands but, at the same time, does not erode the government’s authority.

Given the timeline, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal indicated that the revised Lokpal Bill can be expected to be brought to Parliament on Wednesday or Thursday. Bansal also said the present session may be extended by three days after the Christmas break if Parliament does not pass pass the Lokpal Bill this week.

Keen to push the Bill through in this session, the government’s legal experts Home Minister P Chidambaram, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, Minister of State in the PMO V Narayansamy and Khurshid spent the day going through the Bill with a fine toothcomb.

UPA sources said while the broad contours of the legislation were discussed with the PM and Mukherjee last night, Chidambaram today found fault with it. The delay was also being put down to the fact that there are nearly 70 amendments to the Bill. Consequently, the ruling coalition will introduce a new Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha.

UPA sources said though it had been decided to accept the BJP suggestion that the CBI director be appointed by a panel comprising the PM, Leader of Opposition and the Lokpal, Chidambaram objected and wanted to know whom will the CBI director will report to. Another view was the Lokpal could not sit in on the appointment of a government officer. The selection panel could now include the Chief Justice of Supreme Court or his nominee.