| The Left parties submitted the changes they wanted in the draft Patent Third Amendments Bill. It was handed over to Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is heading the group of ministers on patents. |
| The Left has been opposing the draft Bill saying it does not incorporate the flexibility available in the TRIPS agreement for the safeguard of the interests of domestic industry. |
| According to the Left parties, the definition of "invention" as laid out in the law is problematic and they also do not agree to clauses related to compulsory licensing, data exclusivity, mailbox, export licences and pre-grant opposition. |
| The government also presented a "roadmap" on inviting foreign direct investment (FDI) in private banks, citing a standing committee report on the FDI in the banking sector presented in Parliament on March 5, 2004, that recommends the move. |
| The other issues discussed include restoration of the Employees Provident Fund interest rate and the need to review the Electricity Act, 2003. On EPF the Left was told that it would be referred to the Cabinet soon. |
| On the Electricity Act, the Left was told that the government was studying it and the Left would be called for consultation once the government had completed its review. |
| On the clarifications sought by the Left parties on the FDI in the telecom sector, Chidambaram said the government had received the note and "the discussion on the issue is complete". |
| About the pension reforms, he said the cabinet had already decided to set up a separate regulator for the sector and a bill to this effect would be brought in the coming session of parliament. About FDI in the pension sector, he said once the regulator was in place, then the government would think about it. |
| This crucial meeting was scheduled for 11 November originally, but cancelled due to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's death. |
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