New Delhi, December 12
With pressure being mounted to enact the much-delayed Lokpal Bill, the Government plans to bring it on schedule in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow. The BJP offered to legislate without any discussion provided all the 15 recommendations of the House Select Committee are taken into consideration.

As social activist Anna Hazare began his indefinite fast in Ralegan Siddhi pointing out that the political parties had failed to legislate on the Bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath underscored it as the priority.

“The Lokpal Bill has to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha and then it will come up in the Lok Sabha (to ratify amendments made by the Rajya Sabha)” he said amid indication it will be on the schedule of business for Friday, a day when the post-lunch is earmarked for private members business. The discussion could take place only on Monday.

However, the Congress parliamentary managers have to walk an extra distance to placate the Samajwadi Party that appears intent to oppose the Lokpal on the grounds that the UPA government has no mandate.

The BJP also said that this week’s disruptions in the proceedings in both the House of Parliament was by members of the Congress who want to bring a no-trust motion against the government, as well as contentious issues raised by supporting parties like the SP and BSP.

The Congress assertion on Lokpal came after the BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj said the party is keen that Bill to set up an institutional mechanism against graft should be passed in the current session that is scheduled to adjourn on December 20.

Swaraj underscored that having lost four days since Monday, the BJP wants the session, that could be the last substantive one before the General Election next year, achieve the distinction of having enacted Lokpal.

As a member of the select Rajya Sabha Committee that went into the Lokpal Bill as passed by the Lok Sabha in 2011, Jaitley said 15 suggestions were made and the government has agreed to 13. He stressed that the two not considered include the provision to take clearance from Lokpal before transferring the probe official of the CBI and hear the person against whom a complaint of corruption is received before referring it to the Lokpal.

Jaitley argued that under the rules, a report submitted by a select panel was a property of the House which alone has the power to accept or reject its recommendation and not the government.