New Delhi: The Lokpal Bill has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday but the discussion and voting on the proposed legislation will take place only on Thursday.
Rajya Sabha will take up Lokpal Bill for discussion on Thursday, MoS Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said.
The reason cited was that there are many amendments proposed and many speakers listed and about 8 hours have been allotted in the Rajya Sabha. So, it would not be able to complete the proceedings on Wednesday.
Also, some amendments rejected by the Lok sabha could be passed in Rajya sabha which means it will have to be referred to joint sitting.
"Hopefully, the Lokpal and the Lokayukta Bill, 2011 will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha this (Wednesday) afternoon," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said.
Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy had earlier said the Lokpal bill may not be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has issued a dictat to all Congress Rajya Sabha MPs, saying they all have to be present in the Rajya Sabha after Tuesday's loss of face in the Lok Sabha.
Given the Congress' low numbers in the Rajya Sabha, the support of ally, the TMC will be crucial. But TMC will decide only when the Bill is tabled.
Also key is Samajwadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has not taken final call and will decide in Rajya Sabha.
Earlier, this afternoon President Pratibha Patil gave her assent for the tabling of the Lokpal bill in Rajya Sabha.
This is standard operating procedure for any legislation that will have financial implications.
The Lokpal bill got the presidential assent in the wake of amendments made to it in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and it can now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha after that.
Bansal also alleged that BJP had conspired to not confer Constitutional status to Lokpal.
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