Government wants early passage of Lokpal bill: Shinde
New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) The government wants the Lokpal bill to be taken up on priority in the winter session of parliament, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Tuesday.
Replying to queries from reporters here, Shinde said the government was keen that the bill should be taken up early.
He said Minister of State for Personnel V. Narayanasamy had urged Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari to take up the bill immediately.
Shinde said the bill was pending in the Rajya Sabha following amendments proposed by the house select committee.
The bill, which had earlier been passed by the Lok Sabha, will go to the lower house again after amendments are approved by the upper house of parliament.
The winter session of parliament began Dec 5.
Shinde also referred to the indefinite hunger strike that social activist Anna Hazare began Tuesday in his village Ralegan Siddhi, in Maharashtra, to press for the passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill.
Congress sources said the government was keen to pass the Lokpal bill as it would help the party counter opposition criticism about its determination to fight corruption.