Lokpal Bill in RS in Budget term
The government will take up the controversial Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011 for the consideration in Rajya Sabha during the second part of the Budget Session. The Budget session begins on March 12 and the second part of the session could be between April 24 and May 22. But the million dollar question is can it be passed without an amendment.
Official sources on Tuesday made this clear after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.
“The bill is on the live register of the Rajya Sabha and it will now be taken up only in the second phase of the Budget session,” an official said.
Though the bill had to be aborted under the pretext of paucity of time at the eleventh hour in the in the Upper House in the last session of Parliament (December 29), the real story behind this was division in the UPA and supporting parties on it. Besides, the Congress party was in the minority in the Rajya Sabha .
The bill was passed by the Lower House during the Winter Session. Later, a political war broke out between the government and the Opposition as the bill could not be passed in Rajya Sabha.
Among the UPA, the Trinamul Congress, the DMK have reservation to the current bill while the Congress’ supporting parties — the BSP, SP and the RJD — had opposed it .
Besides the Left, AIADMK, TDP, BJD also wanted their amendments to be accepted by the government.
The floor managers in the government are expected to discuss this issue with the allies, supporting parties and the main Opposition BJP next month.
In a related development, over 50 Rajya Sabha members are retiring in April. The outcome of Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand could also change the current party positions in the House.
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