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All-party meet fails to break Lokpal impasse

NEW DELHI: An all-party meeting called by Prime Minister on Friday to work upon the Lokpal impasse failed to reach any consensus, according to reports.

The government will try to evolve a consensus on the wording of the contentious aspects of Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill during break in Budget session, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday welcomed Rajya Sabha leaders to an all-party meet on Lokpal and reiterated his government's commitment towards an "effective Lokpal legislation".

"We look forward to benefiting from the wisdom and guidance of all leaders present here in the task that we have set for ourselves," the Prime Minister said.

Singh held the meeting with senior leaders of all parties at his residence to discuss the controversial Bill, to which 97 amendments have been moved by Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha.

"We have called a meeting of political parties. It is our effort to achieve a meaningful consensus," Singh told reporters on Thursday.

The Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in the last winter session, remained short of going through the procedures of passage in the Upper House at that time as the term of the session had expired.

Minister of state for personnel V. Narayanaswamy was in the midst of replying to the debate when the session expired at midnight.

Opposition parties have moved 97 amendments to the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, some of which were contentious and the meeting would discuss ways to evolve consensus on them, sources said.

Some of the amendments, the sources said, are for bringing the Prime Minister's Office under the Lokpal, seek exclusion of the Lokayukta from the Bill, abolition of minority quota and inclusion of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha as one of the members of the selection committee.

The government is keen on passing the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha even as the Opposition and social activist Anna Hazare have renewed pressure on the issue. — PTI

Gujarat Assembly ‘porngate’: Forensic report clears BJP MLAs

GANDHINAGAR: Two BJP MLAs accused of watching obscene pictures during House proceedings have been given a clean chit by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) here which found nothing objectionable on their iPAD having over 4,000 pictures and 11 video clips.

The Gujarat Assembly has been disrupted for three days following the Opposition uproar over reports that Shankar Chaudhary, MLA from Radhanpur, and his party colleague, Jetha Bharvad, had allegedly watched pornographic clippings during the proceedings.

The FSL today submitted a report of scrutiny of the MLA's iPAD, in a sealed cover, to Assembly Speaker Ganpat Vasava who read out the conclusions in the House.

He said no obscene video or pictures were found on the iPAD and media reports have turned out to be false.

Reacting to the development, Chaudhary said he would file a defamation suit against the "conspirators".

"It is victory of truth. Those who have conspired to defame me and tarnish my political image will have to give answers before the court of law. I am going to file defamation suit against the conspirators," he said.

The Speaker said the FSL report would be handed over to Privileges Committee of the House examining the issue.

He said he would be handing over the FSL report to the Privilege Committee of the House, which is investigating the entire issue.

According to the FSL report, the iPAD contained communications by the MLA, some reports, over 4,000 pictures and 11 video clips, but none of the pictures or clips were obscene.

The iPAD had been submitted to the Speaker soon after the uproar in the House on March 21.

The Speaker deprecated the opposition Congress for disrupting the House proceedings for the last three days over the issue, saying it had dishonoured the House by stalling proceedings during the question hour and the discussion of budgetary demands. — PTI

Yeddy returns to Bangalore