Joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill meets

New Delhi: The joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill today had its first meeting when civil society representatives presented a new draft of the legislation to the government with both sides expressing hope that the new law will be brought in Monsoon session of Parliament.
The 90-minute meeting chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and co-chaired by eminent lawyer Shanti Bhushan was audio-recorded and not videographed as demanded by the civil society activists.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, one of the five ministers nominated to the committee, said after the meeting that both the sides were keen that the new Bill should be introduced in the Monsoon session, which begins early July.
The next meeting of the ten-member committee will be held on May two.
Sibal said both sides presented their perspective on the proposed legislation. The latest draft presented by the civil society representatives had “significant” proposals, he added.