Lokpal bill in monsoon session: PM
New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday affirmed his government's commitment to a Lokpal bill which provides for a strong institutional arrangement for tackling corruption in high places and said the legislation will be brought in the monsoon session of parliament.
"I must make it clear at the outset that we, in government, are committed to the enactment of a Lokpal Act, which provides for a strong, effective and quick institutional arrangement for tackling corruption in high places. We are also committed to bringing the bill before parliament in the coming monsoon session," Manmohan Singh said in his opening remarks at an all-party meeting on the Lokpal bill. The session begins August 1.
He said that the institutional arrangement for the Lokpal should enjoy support of as large a section of people as possible and it has to work in harmony with other institutions and laws.
The all-party meeting at the prime minister's residence here is being attended by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders L.K. Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leaders Bausudeb Acharia and Sitaram Yechury.
Leaders of Janata Dal-United, Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, DMK, AIADMK, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Telugu Desam Party are also attending the meeting.