Govt. calls for all-party meet to discuss Lokpal Bill

As Anna Hazare's fast enters the eighth day, the government seeks wider political consensus over some of the demands put forth by Team Hazare

Supporters of Anna Hazare during a rally in support of the Jan Lokpal Bill in New Delhi. Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

Amid the standoff with Team Anna over the Lokpal Bill, government has convened an all-party meeting for Wednesday to discuss the issue.

Leaders of all political parties have been invited to attend the meet scheduled for 3.30 pm on Wednesday.

Sources said the government is of the view that some of the demands put forth by Mr. Hazare and his associates require a wider political consensus before a decision could be taken.

In a related development, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today held a detailed meeting with Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, looking into the Lokpal Bill.

Sources said the meeting discussed various options to end the impasse over the issue as Mr. Hazare’s fast entered the eighth day today.

Mr. Singhvi had on Monday said that differences between the government and Mr. Hazare on the Lokpal Bill were more to do with methodology rather than content and said the Committee on Law and Justice and Personnel was open to all kinds of opinions and inputs to send a strong Lokpal Bill back to Parliament.

Congress member Praveen Singh Aron has already submitted a copy of Mr. Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Bill for consideration of the Committee.