Lokpal Bill draft with standing committee.

A Parliamentary committee has sought public opinion and suggestions on the Lokpal Bill, giving people 15 days to send their feedback on the measure which proposes to create an anti-corruption watchdog.The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice and Personnel on Saturday issued an advertisement in dailies giving out salient features of the Bill and asking people to send their opinions and suggestions within 15 days. While 15 days is the standard time given by parliamentary panels to people or organisations to send feedback on bills, it was an indication that the Committee will not be able to give its recommendations before the end of the Monsoon Session on 8September.th August as the deadline for Parliament to pass the bill.Soon after the bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on 4 August, the Rajya Sabha Chairman has referred it to the Committee and given it three months to give recommendations.

The Standing Committee on Law and Justice and Personnel is serviced by the Rajya Sabha secretariat and headed by a Rajya Sabha member in this case Abhishek Manu Singhvi.Soon after the bill was referred to it, the Committee had invited team Hazare to place its views before the panel.Home Minister P Chidambaram had recently said that Hazare was free to place his views before the panel once again. Social Activist Anna Hazare is continuing his fast at Ramlila Ground in New Delhi to press for his demands, among other demands he is seeking inclusion of Prime Minister in the Lok Pal, Delhi Police has made elaborate security arrangements around the venue with about 400 personnel.

Hazare agreed to move from Tihar Prison, where he was kept after being arrested on 16th August to Ramlila ground in the walled city after government agreed to his demands of holding the fast without any restrictions on the number of supporters.

The 73-year-old Gandhian led a procession from Tihar prison and went to Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi before taking the centre-stage at the ground, a famous venue for the annual Dusherra celebrations.Team Ann member and a former top cop Kiran Bedi constantly addressed people telling them to maintain calm and remain peaceful as Hazare's procession inched towards the venue.Delhi Police has made elaborate security arrangements inside and outside the venue with about 400 personnel being deployed to ensure security of people. The Police set up several gates and frisked people before letting them in.Replying to questions whether he was shifting the goalpost after agreeing to restrict the fast to a fortnight, Hazare's close associate Arvind Kejriwal said "Anna Hazare will be here."

The Delhi Police Commissioner has agreed that the fast can be extended by a week on four days' notice, he said."We are willing to have a discussion with the government with an open mind but there cannot be any compromise on corruption," Hazare aid Prashant Bhushan said.