News-Broad consensus on draft Lok Pal Bill

Broad consensus on draft Lok Pal Bill: Sibal
The government today said that there is a broad consensus on major issues of the Lok Pal Bill after discussions with civil society members in New Delhi. Briefing the media after the 8th meeting of the Joint Drafting Committee on Lokpal, the HRD Minister, Mr. Kapil Sibal said that there is agreement on about 85 percent clauses of the bill. Describing today's meeting as a major step forward, the Minister said that the areas of divergence and differences will be discussed in the all party meeting to be convened by the Prime Minister next month. Mr. Sibal reiterated the government's commitment to introduce a strong Lok Pal Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament. He said, the discussions took place in a non acrimonious atmosphere and there was frank exchange of views between both the sides.

Briefing the media, noted lawyer Prashant Bhusan said, in tomorrow's meeting, the Civil Society and the Government Representatives will exchange their drafts to hammer out consensus on agreed issues. He said, the differences on major issues will be presented as two alternatives in a single draft to be taken up by the government at appropriate fora. In reply to a question, Mr Bhusan said, two new areas of disagreement appeared in today's meeting and they are selection and removal process of the Lokpal.