New Delhi, Dec 28 (ANI): A day after Lokpal Bill was passed in Lok Sabha, the Government on Wednesday expressed confidence about bringing the legislation before the Rajya Sabha today.
Talking to reporters here, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said: "Hopefully, the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011 will be tabled in Rajya Sabha this afternoon."
"Those (amendments) have to be incorporated in the body of the Bill, which would be taken as past by the Lok Sabha. Thereafter, it has to go to the Rashtrapati because yesterday it was 12 at night, so it couldn't have gone yesterday. It will be an endeavour to bring it to the Rajya Sabha after lunch today for discussion... but one thing is certain, it cannot be taken up unless the Rajya Sabha decides to sit late like we did in the Lok Sabha. Then only, perhaps it could be passed today, otherwise I think it will be passed tomorrow," Bansal added.
"It is necessary for the government to have a requisite number to introduce the Bill in the Rajya Sabha," said Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), V. Narayanasamy.
"You know that we don't have numbers for the Constitutional amendment bill. We have a coalition government, so it is necessary for us to have the required number. It is our request that Congress party made all the efforts, alliance parties supported us, but still the constitutional amendment bill was not passed. The BJP submitted a dissent note to the standing committee recommendation and had written that they will support the constitutional amendment, but now they backed out. Still I am happy because the Lokpal Bill has been passed in the Parliament after 40 years," he added.
Meanwhile, President Pratibha Patil gave her approval for tabling of the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
"President Patil gave her approval from Hyderabad where she is on a ten-day visit," said Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson.
With no majority on its own in the Rajya Sabha, Government is making all efforts to get support of members to get the Lokpal Bill passed.
In a house of 243, the ruling UPA has the clear support of 101 members and needs at least another 21 members to ensure a simple majority for the Bill.
The role of 27 MPs belonging to BSP, SP and RJD, which support the government from outside, becomes crucial because they walked out of the Lok Sabha yesterday before voting. The absence of their support led to the defeat of Constitution Amendment Bill.
In case they absent from Rajya Sabha, the total numbers and the majority required would also come down. The numbers required for simple majority in such a case may come down to 108.
The battle for an ombudsman is unlikely to be over yet, but Congress party will be able to trumpet the passage of the Bill as it fights elections in five states in the next few weeks.
It was Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi who proposed to give the Lokpal Constitutional status, on a par with prestigious institutions such as the election commission and the opposition was quick to play up that setback. (ANI)
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