No consensus at all-party meet on Lokpal Bill

NEW DELHI: All-party meeting tonight failed to reach consensus on Lokpal Bill with parties voicing divergent views on key elements like inclusion of PM and lower bureaucracy, even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sought cooperation to ensure its passage during the current session.

Singh said the "momentous" Lokpal Bill should not become a subject of party politics as the government was keen to get it passed in Parliament based on consensus that is driven by the House as the "custodian of legislation".

Seeking "guidance and cooperation in this matter of paramount importance", Singh said, "I am personally keen that this momentous legislation should be passed on the basis of consensus among all parties as far as possible and that this should not be subjected to party politics in any way."

The nearly three-hour long meeting, however, saw divergent views being aired by leaders of the parties, with BJP pitching for inclusion of Group C and D employees under the Lokpal, a stand staunchly opposed by CPI.

BJP and other opposition parties also demanded that CBI's investigative wing should come under Lokpal, sources said.

However, both the Left and Right were on the same page with regard to inclusion of PM under the Lokpal, they said.

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said his party feels that Group C and D cannot be brought under Lokpal because there are crores of such employees.

There should be separate mechanism to deal with them, he told reporters.