Lokpal Bill Panel Seeks Week's Time to Submit Report

The chairperson of the Parliamentary panel on Lokpal Bill, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, has sought a week's extension for submitting the panel's draft of the bill.

The panel was supposed to submit its report by Dec. 7.

The Lokpal bill, which does not include the lower bureaucracy and the CBI, has come into a strong protest from the anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare. It is also reported that there was a U-turn by the Congress members who demanded removal of Group C bureaucrats from the ambit of the Lokpal while the BJP, CPM, BSP and the SP demanded their inclusion.

Earlier, Anna Hazare threatened to hold a fresh protest if the panel failed to include the lower bureaucracy and judiciary in the ambit of the Lokpal Bill.

Meanwhile, Anna Hazare reacted that he felt cheated by the government.

As a concession, the panel has proposed in its draft that the CBI director should be selected by the same committee that selects the Lokpal, to ensure minimum government interference.

According to media reports, it's also said that there was still division among members of the panel on the most contentious issue of bringing the Prime Minister under the Lokpal.