The government on Monday said that it has "narrowed down" major differences over the proposed anti-corruption bill Lokpal and it was committed to get the legislation passed in the Parliament.
"There are only three-four issues to which this kind of (opposition) is there. That we are trying to bring it down. We don't have numbers in the Rajya Sabha. That is why we have to carry all the parties," Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V Narayanasamy told PTI.
"The government is committed (to the bill). That's why we brought in the bill in the last season. We wanted to pass it. There were some differences over the CBI. Then on the main issue of selection committee. Three or four difference were there. The differences have been narrowed down", Narayanasamy said.
A Rajya Sabha select committee is examining the Lokpal bill, which has been passed in the Lok Sabha.
To a question whether the legislation is likely to come up during the upcoming monsoon session, the Minister said, "I hope so. It is for the Committee to decide. We cannot dictate terms to the committee."
The CBI among other agencies has raised serious concerns over its autonomy in case the Lokpal in its present form comes into being.
When asked whether the CBI will be under the Lokpal, Narayanasamy said, "Let the committee decide."
Appearing before the Rajya Sabha select committee, CBI Director A P Singh had late last week said that one of the focal points of the Lokpal agitation was to give greater autonomy to the investigation agency.
"As far as the CBI is concerned, this does not seem to have happened. On the contrary, the agency's autonomy of investigation has been seriously compromised," the CBI said in its presentation.
The CBI had also sought to increase the tenure of its director from present two years to five years to ensure continuity in supervision of important cases and to help him implement "strategic vision" to improve the organisation.
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