Govt sends Jan Lokpal Bill to Parliamentary Standing Committee

NEW DELHI: Appealing to Anna Hazare to end his fast, the government today said it has forwarded Jan Lokpal Bill to Parliament's Standing Committee for consideration and it is up to it to take a decision.

"We have forwarded Jan Lokpal Bill to the Standing Committee for its consideration. It is for the Committee to decide," Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy said in the Rajya Sabha.

Winding up a short duration discussion on the issue of corruption, he said the government has an "open mind" on the Jan Lokpal Bill.

On the issue of inclusion of Prime Minister under the ambit of the proposed legislation, Narayanasamy said Manmohan Singh himself was open to the idea.

Appealing to Hazare to end his nine-day-old fast, he said the Gandhian should help the government bring a strong and effective Lokpal Bill.

He, however, said Parliament is supreme. "Parliament and the rule of law should be upheld by the government," he said.