Indian ambassador Ronen Sen is likely to be summoned before a privileges committee of Lok Sabha for his controversial “headless chickens” remark, supposedly against the MPs.

This is because of Speaker Somnath Chatterjee’s decision to refer the privilege notices on Mr Sen to the committee, which means the latter will have to appear before the Parliamentary panel to explain his position.

Mr Sen’s remarks had made the MPs angry. Joining the Opposition, the CPM and some partners of the UPA launched a tirade against the ambassador demanding that he be called to the bar of the House and reprimanded.

The apology that the diplomat tendered did not help. For two days, no business was transacted in either of the Houses.

Mr Sen made the remarks in an interview to a website when the nuclear crisis had threatened the stability of the UPA government.

The privileges committee is headed by Congress MP Kishore Chandra Deo and it will examine the notices that seek to call the ambassador to the bar of Lok Sabha and censure him for lowering the dignity of Parliament. Two notices against Mr Sen have been moved by the Left and the BJP. The decision on when the ambassador is to be summoned may be taken on Wednesday when Parliament meets after a brief holiday.