NEW DELHI: With the Lok Sabha set to debate the Lokpal bill on Tuesday, the fate of the landmark legislation looks critically poised with the government asserting it is sincere about its passage and has the necessary numbers to steer it past the objections of a large number of parties.

“We are sincere about the passage of the bill,” said parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Bansal. He added that the government has the numbers to ensure the legislation goes through the Lok Sabha. “We have a majority,” said Bansal, although he said the government would like the bill to be passed unanimously.

Even without accounting for “outside supporters” like SP, BSP and RJD, UPA-II commands 277 votes in the 543-member Lok Sabha after the inclusion of its latest ally RLD, which has five MPs.

The government’s assertion came just ahead of the Lok Sabha debating and, possibly passing, the bill in the backdrop of strong criticism by the BJP, Left and regional parties like AIADMK, BJD, SP, RJD and BSP. While BJP has objected to the minority quota in the nine-member Lokpal, it has joined other parties in criticizing provisions dealing with Lokayuktas in states and government control over CBI.

BJP has decided to move seven amendments, while the Left has prepared five. Resentment is spread across parties over Section 24, which seeks to empower presiding officers of legislative bodies to take action against ministers, MPs and MLAs on the basis of a Lokpal or Lokayukta report.