Last meeting of Parl standing committee on Lokpal bill ends

The parliamentary standing committee examining the Lokpal bill has finalised its report on the bill as the meeting discussed the draft of the bill.

Committee chairman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the draft prepared by the standing committee will lead to a strong Lokpal.

Amid the standoff in Parliament over the decision to allow FDI in retail, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi to discuss the issue.

Ahead of his meeting with Congress MPs to allay their apprehensions on FDI, Mukherjee met Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence for about 10 minutes, party sources said.

Mukherjee had said on Tuesday that he would speak to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA Chairperson and thereafter the government will decide on how to resolve the impasse in Parliament over the decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail.

Mukherjee had said that Opposition leaders have suggested a roll-back of the decision and a discussion in Parliament on the issue under an adjournment motion.

"I informed them (Opposition leaders) that I will talk to the leadership -- Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi. And thereafter, whatever decision government will take, you will come to know," he had said.

Opposition parties including the BJP and Left have demanded a roll-back of the Cabinet decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail.

Even UPA allies TMC and DMK, along with the SP and BSP, which lend outside support to the government, demanded that the decision should be revoked.

The Prime Minister has virtually rejected demands from the opposition as also UPA constituents Trinamool Congress and DMK to rollback the decision on FDI.

Congress sources said Mukherjee's meeting with party MPs today is aimed at addressing concerns of members.