"The drafting committee will discuss the bill and the government will see that it is placed in the monsoon session of Parliament," Mukherjee told a meet-the-press programme here.

Mukherjee, who is the chairman of the joint committee that will draft the Lokpal bill said, "We will complete the work of the committee quickly, so that we can place the bill in the monsoon session."

Mukherjee welcomed Advani's statement expressing support for the bill: "I welcome his support. I have kept him informed. His party has to support the bill in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha by pressing the button in its favour when it will be put to vote, only after which it will be passed."

He said he had also discussed the issue with the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and other parties including the Left.

"There was talk about Lokpal bill since 1972. Advani was a minister in the Union Government from 1977 to 1980 and a home minister from 1998 to 2004 when his party was leading the government. Nobody stopped them from passing the bill. Nevertheless, better late than never. If they support it today it is good."

The minister said members of the joint committee on the Lokpal bill would sit together and discuss it.

Mukherjee brushed aside a suggestion referred to by a reporter that HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, who is a member of the joint committee, had differences on the effectiveness of the committee.
"Whom he has made this comment, You? I do not have this information. Last night I had a talk with him (Sibal). I heard no comment from him in this regard," he shot back at the questioner.