News-Government to convene all party meet on lokpal

Govt likely to call all party meeting on bringing PM within Lokpal
Government is expected to call an all party meeting on the issue of bringing Prime Minister within the ambit of Lokpal as differences have emerged between government and the civil society on the issue. Sources said, the issue was discussed in the Congress Core Committee meeting today and many top leaders favoured an all party meet. The Government is prima facie opposed to the inclusion of Prime Minister within the ambit of Lokpal but is open to the idea of covering him once he demits office. The civil society representatives on the other hand, are demanding inclusion of Prime Minister as also higher judiciary in the proposed Lokpal bill. According to sources, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress party president Sonia Gandhi also discussed the Telangana issue at the core committee meeting.

Meanwhile, The BJP today said, it is not opposed to taking part in an all party meeting but will place its views on bringing the Prime Minister in the ambit of the Lokpal only after the Congress and the government circulate their views on the issue.
BJP chief spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad told reporters in Patna that BJP has a categorical view on the issue of corruption but declined to answer whether his party favoured the Prime Minister being brought within the ambit of the proposed legislation.