Government response

The government has stated that it has not received a copy of the proposed bill although after Anna Hazare announced his "fast unto death", he was invited for talks by the Prime Minister but also told that the government had no time before May 13 for such a meeting. To dissuade Hazare from going on an indefinite hunger strike, the Prime Minister's Office have directed the ministries of personnel and law to examine how the views of society activists can be included in the Lokpal Bill.

On 5 April 2011, the National Advisory Council rejected the Lokpal bill drafted by the government. Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal then met social activists Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kejriwal on 7 April to find ways to bridge differences over the bill. Hazare's fast was supported by the CPI(M) with their politburo issuing a statement demanding an effective Lokpal Bill.

After several rounds of talks, on 8 April 2011, Anna Hazare announced to his supporters that the Government had agreed to all his demands and he would break his fast on the following Saturday morning. According to the understanding reached, five of the ten-member joint-draft committee would come from society . Pranab Mukherjee will be the Chairman of the draft committee and Shanti Bhushan his Co-Chairman.

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