NEW DELHI: The gulf separating Team Anna Hazare and the political class over issues like inclusion of prime minister, conduct of MPs in Parliament and bringing the lower bureaucracy and higher judiciary within the purview of the Lokpal does not seem to have narrowed much.Although the discourse between the Hazare group and members of Parliament's standing committee examining the Lokpal bill on Friday was cordial, no real agreement appeared to be in sight over the activists' demand for a "tough" anti-graft ombudsman with sweeping powers.In response to Hazare's deadline for the Lokpal bill being passed in the winter session beginning on November 22, panel members said it was not in their hands to ensure the bill's passage. The committee has several witnesses to examine and the winter session has some 20-odd days to transact business, the Gandhian was told by some members.Sources said the committee might be able to finalise its recommendations by around December first week. It will meet next on November 14 and 15.Team Anna revived its demand for doing away with the immunity enjoyed by MPs for their actions in Parliament, pointing out that the Lokpal should be empowered to deal with acts of corruption such as a tainted vote. The suggestion not unexpectedly drew vigorous opposition with committee members pointing out that protection to MPs guaranteed by the Constitution did not shield them from being prosecuted for corruption.Panel members said no less than 12 MPs faced action during the term of the previous Lok Sabha for being compromised in the cash-for-questions scandal. This was done by the presiding officers of both Houses even though there was no Lokpal to enforce the law and MPs argued that the protection under Article 105 was largely applicable to free speech on the floor of Parliament.Before he met the standing committee, Anna Hazare had criticized the government's move to bring a citizens' grievance redress act that will largely deal with the lower bureaucracy as a move to "cut the Lokpal into pieces". At the meeting, members urged the activists to be patient as the committee was yet to finalise its recommendations. They, however, pointed out that dealing with officers from section level onwards would mean a massive bureaucracy that would be a parallel officialdom in itself.Asked whether corporates, NGOs and media should be covered by the Lokpal, Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan reportedly told the committee that any organization involved in public dealing or receiving money from official sources should be accountable. If the committee wanted to expand the scope of corrupt practices, the group did not have a problem.MPs like BSP's Vijay Bahadur Singh said Team Anna's pronouncements seemed to run down all institutions like judiciary and Parliament but immunity on floor of the House was essential to raise issues that might be muzzled outside. Some MPs felt amendments in the law to make CBI truly independent might prove more effective that subsuming it in the proposed Lokpal.BJP MP Kirti Azad pointed out that while corruption in government was a major concern, the role of the private sector was steadily increasing. Another BJP MP Harin Pathak said a proposal that any high court that stays a Lokpal order must decide on it in two months might be impractical.