Lokpal Bill to be tabled in Rajya Sabha today

New Delhi: The Congress decided to stick to its original plan and will table the Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha after lunch on Wednesday itself. The Congress had earlier in the day decided to table the Bill on Thursday after getting the nod from President Pratibha Patil's office.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said, "Lokpal can be taken up for consideration today."

"Lokpal Bill may be passed today or tomorrow," added Bansal.

However, the Opposition planned to protest against the delay.

Rashtrapati Bhawan is still awaiting request from the government for tabling of Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill in Rajya Sabha.

Sources said there is no delay from the President's office.

Union Minister V Narayanasamy had said the Lokpal Bill will have to get presidential assent in the wake of amendments made to it in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and it can be tabled in the Rajya Sabha after that.

In the 245-member Rajya Sabha, the Congress and its allies account for only 97 and fall short of a simple majority.

What may happen in the Rajya Sabha

The role of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) members, who abstained from voting in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday night resulting in the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, has raised questions over the fate of the Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha.

In the Upper House of Parliament, where the Lokpal Bill is likely to be taken up on Wednesday, the Congress does not have majority on its own or with its allies in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is in touch with the Shiv Sena, the Biju Janta Dal and the Asom Gana Parishad. The Left parties are likely to oppose the Bill.

But the Samajwadi Party, BSP, the RJD and the Lok Janshakti Party could tip the scales as these parties had staged a walk-out in the Lok Sabha.

That leaves the Congress-led UPA with the option of support from other smaller parties and Independents.

In the 245-member House, the Congress (71) alomng with its allies Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) seven, National Conference (NC) two, Mizo National Front (MNF) one Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) seven, Nagaland People's Front (NPF) one, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) one, Bodoland People's Front (BPF) one. The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) with six MPs is undecided but on the whole the UPA has the support of 97 members. The eight nominated members are likely to go with the Government giving the UPA a support of 105 MPs.

Parties supporting the Government from outside - BSP (18), Samajwadi Party (five) and RJD (four) - account for 27 crucial votes. These three parties had walked out of the Lok Sabha before voting on the Lokpal Bill night but their absence did not matter much because the Bill required only a simple majority and it was passed by a voice vote.

But the absence of 42 MPs from these three parties in the Lok Sabha spelt disaster for the government in the Constitutional Amendment Bill which required a special majority for passage.

If the three parties absent themselves during voting in the Rajya Sabha, then the government has a lot to worry.

Independent and Others account for six votes, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) one, LJP one, Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) one. How these nine MPs will vote is still unclear. But if they along with the 27 MPs belonging to the BSP, Samajwadi Party and RJD abstain the strength of the Lok Sabha comes down to 209 and the half way mark also comes down to 105.

The BJP which had also raised a number of objections to the Lokpal bill was to some extent mollified because the government came out with official amendments like giving option to states to set up a Lokayukta, changing the requirement of three-fourth members to clear investigation against Prime Minister to two-third and to protect the powers of Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman in regard to MPs.

However, BJP leaders said they would review their position on Wednesday morning with the party still having strong reservation over the provision for quota for minorities in the Lokpal structure and control of Lokpal over CBI.