Lok Pal panel meet today

Government determined on June 30 deadline.

The government, say sources, is determined to meet its June 30 deadline for finalising the bill for a Lok Pal, the ombudsman on corruption and misuse of office, whether the other five non-government representatives on the 10-member drafting panel agree or not.

If the latter, led by social activist Anna Hazare, wish to then produce their own version of a bill, both would be placed before the Union cabinet for a final decision.

The panel, co-chaired by Hazare and Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, is scheduled to meet tomorrow. If inconclusive, a meeting has also been scheduled on Tuesday. If unfinished then, too, there is provision for a third meeting on June 30, after Mukherjee returns from a Washington visit.

The government has also planned an all-party meeting on the bill after it is ready with its draft. Top sources in the ruling party indicated this wouldbe done before the issue goes to the cabinet.

An all-party meet on the issue had been planned when Hazare sat on an indefinite fast in April at Jantar Mantar. The plan was to build a political consensus in the backdrop of the civil society campaign. But major opposition parties had declined to agree to a meet, instead indicating support for Hazare’s campaign, and the plan had to be dropped.

Mukherjee had earlier sent a list of queries to state governments and political parties, seeking their opinion. Most of the parties and states had refused to reply, instead asking the government to first place the bill before Parliament. The government wishes to do this in the coming monsoon session.