Lokpal Bill draft to be complete by June 30: Govt

Government representatives in the Lokpal Bill drafting panel, Home Minister P Chidambaram and HRD and Telecom Minister, Kapil Sibal, assured on Thursday that the draft legislation would be ready by June 30. Asserting that the government was committed to formulate a strong Lokpal Bill, Chidambaram urged the civil society representatives in the committee to cooperate in the drafting process. Stressing that the civil society members were trying to create a parallel government outside the system, Sibal expressed concern that the reservations of the government with regard to the Bill were being misinterpreted as its hesitancy in bringing about a strong anti-graft legislation.