Differences on Lokpal being narrowed down: Narayanasamy

New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) The differences on the Lokpal Bill have been narrowed down and efforts are on to reach a consensus for passing the law in parliament, said Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) V. Narayanasamy Friday.

"The prime minister has heard the views of various political parties. The issues have been narrowed down to four to five points," Narayanasamy told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

"The government will consider the suggestions given by various political parties and will come to a consensus to pass the Lokpal bill in parliament," the minister said.

"The floor leaders of the Rajya Sabha under the chairmanship of honourable Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Friday. There are 147 amendments given by various political parties on the various contentious issues like whether Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) can come under the ambit of Lokpal and other such issues," he added.

An all-party meeting was convened by Manmohan Singh Friday to end the stalemate on the anti-graft Lokpal bill, which could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha during the winter session last year due to opposition moving a number of amendments and the government insisting that it needed time to study them.

The bill could not be put to vote even after hours of debate on the last day of the winter session on Dec 29.

The opposition had charged the government with shying away from a vote.