RTI Bill ’04 in Lok Sabha on May 9

However, no decision has come on the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill, 2004, for which the Government has been diligently pursuing the standing committee on rural development, chaired by Kalyan Singh.

Based on a key agenda of the UPA’s Common Minimum Programme, the Bill was referred to the standing committee last December. However, sources said, the standing committee has met on the issue only once. ‘‘It is unlikely to be ready this session,’’ said an official source. And this despite Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad requesting Kalyan Singh to submit the report before the end of the session, so that the Bill could be introduced.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha will continue its discussion on Electoral Reforms (proposed by the Election Committee) while the Rajya Sabha will discuss the Finance Bill tomorrow. The Government may also bring up the Navy Amendment Bill in the Lower House of Parliament tomorrow.

MPs seek code of conduct for EC

Members of the Lok Sabha have demanded that Election Commission, which enforces code of conduct, should itself be made answerable to the code. RJD MP Devendra Prasad Yadav, said: ‘‘A committee should be formed to look into adherence to various provisions by the EC.’’ He found support from the treasury benches when he said the Commission has been ‘‘engaging in excesses’’. The EC, he said, should be held responsible for missing names in electoral rolls.