Jaitley questions Govt. intention, demands discussion on Lokpal

New Delhi, Mar 14 (ANI): Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley on Wednesday questioned the UPA Government's intention on the passing of an effective Lokpal Bill, and demanded that the debate on the anti-graft bill be resumed in parliament.

"The debate must continue on the Lokpal Bill in the House according to the rules," Jaitley told the Rajya Sabha.

He further said that the government cannot postpone the debate indefinitely.

Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal exuded confidence about the government passing a strong and effective Lokpal Bill during the budget session of parliament.

"Lokpal bill could not be passed on the last day of the winter session because time was short and there were a lot of amendments. There is a rule that the notices of the earlier session are nullified and not carried over to the next session, so we are accepting new notices on it," Bansal told the media here.

"We have to go through them and analyse these notices. I just want to confidently declare and assure everybody that the bill is pending. A strong and effective Lokpal will be brought into effect by the government," he added.

The Lokpal Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in the winter session in December 2011.

The Rajya Sabha broke up for recess on December 29, 2011 without voting on a bill to create a Lokpal before a deadline set by activist Anna Hazare, who has led a campaign for the measure using hunger strikes.

The opposition in the Rajya Sabha has asked the government to set a date for the discussion of the Bill and on three amendments related to the Bill. (ANI)