Seventh Lokpal panel meet ends with no consensus on Bill

NEW DELHI: The 10-member panel of government and civil society representatives drafting an anti-corruption Lokpal bill met here on Wednesday for the seventh time amid sharp differences, including over whether to bring the prime minister under its ambit. HRD Minister, Kapil Sibal said that there was no consensus on the bill. Next panel meet was scheduled for June 20 and 21.

Sibal said that if there was no consensus on the bill then both the proposals would be forwarded to the Cabinet. Two versions of the bill will be prepared by June 30. Civil society members have claimed that there is no agreement on most of the issues. "Government took a hardline on most of the issues," said Arvind Kejriwal.

The Lokpal drafting talks have also hit a roadblock over the insistence of anti-graft activists, led by Gandhian Anna Hazare, that panel proceedings should be telecast live, which the government is vehemently opposing.

"Live telecast is necessary as per our demands," said lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan, who is among the five civil society members on the panel.

Bhushan said there has been a "non response" from the government on these issues. "In any case, we hope the government nominees will eventually clarify. We hope all those issues will be discussed today."

The meeting takes place as Hazare-led activists and Congress leaders continued to trade barbs after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said civil society cannot dictate the passage of the Lokpal bill.

Hazare has threatened to go on indefinite fast again if the Lokpal bill is not passed by parliament by August 15.

The activists have been saying that people are the masters of the country and must be consulted before decisions are taken.

So far, the Lokpal bill drafting panel has met six times. However, the differences between the two sides have only widened.

The May 30 meeting -- the fifth -- was stormy and was followed by a boycott of the following meet on June 6 by civil society members to protest the police eviction of Baba Ramdev and his supporters from the Ramlila Ground in Delhi.

Hazare had, however, softened his tone saying that differences with the government could be resolved through dialogue.