PM should be under Lokpal Bill ambit: Yashwant Sinha

Shimla, July 3 (ANI): Ahead of the all-party meeting scheduled to take place today to discuss the draft anti-graft Lokpal Bill, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yashwant Sinha has said that the Prime Minister should be within the purview of the Bill.

"If you ask for my personal opinion I would clearly say that the Prime Minister should be under the ambit of the Lokpal (Ombudsman) Bill," he told mediapersons.

Citing the responsibility of the Central Government, Sinha also stressed on the need for a strong Lokpal Bill in the benefit of the country.

"It is the duty of the government that it takes the bill to the Parliament and presents it in front of its members. There should be high level discussion about the bill, thereafter, and then the BJP will clear its stance," said Sinha.

"However, amid all this, team Anna has spoken to party members and a meeting of the NDA is being convened and I think BJP will clear its stance," he added.

The Government will elicit the views of various political parties on different aspects of the Lokpal issue at an all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today.

Apart from the civil activists team, today's meeting will be attended by parties across the political spectrum. BJP and the Left have confirmed their participation.

Janata Dal (United) (JD-U), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Trinamool Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are also expected to attend the meeting.

The final meeting between the government and civil society representatives on the drafting panel ended on June 22 with divergent views remaining on six key issues including bringing the post of Prime Minister under the purview of the ombudsman.

The key issues of differences are on inclusion of the Prime Minister, higher judiciary and acts of Members of Parliaments inside Parliament within the purview of the Ombudsman committee, the mode of selection and removal of its members.

Two sets of drafts-one by the government and the other by the civil society representatives would now be circulated amongst political parties and it would be forwarded to the Cabinet for the final drafting of the bill. (ANI)