Uncertainity prevails over themuch-talked about Lokpal bill being brought up forconsideration in the monsoon session of Parliament beginningon August 8.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal saidthe bill has not been listed for consideration in the sessionbut the government is committed to expeditiously bringing itonce it gets the report from the Select Committee of the RajyaSabha.
The bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha, debated in theRajya Sabha and was later referred to the Select Committee.
Bansal said the Select Committee is expected to give itsreport on the first day of the last week of the monsoonsession which is concluding on September seven.
Insisting that the government is keen to pass it as earlyas possible, he recalled the Leader of the Opposition in theRajya Sabha Arun Jaitley is also a member of the SelectCommittee going into the bill.
In May this year, in yet another twist, the controversial Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill was referred to the selectcommittee of Rajya Sabha, further delaying the setting up ofthe anti-graft ombudsman which has been hanging fire for 42years.
The bill, on which the debate had remained inconclusive inthe Rajya Sabha during the last winter session, was referredto the select committee through a motion soon after ministerof state for personnel V Narayanasamy moved it forconsideration and passage.
As many as 31 bills, including those on ForwardContracts, Banking laws, whistleblowers and women'sreservation, are listed in the session as also the Preventionof Bribery of Foreign Public Officials bill.
Replying to a question, he said the Insurance Bill andthe Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)Bill do not figure in the agenda.
He said 118 bills have been pending at one stage orother.