The PAC, looking into the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on 2G licence allocation irregularities, remained divided on the issue and ended up without taking any decision.
Joshi, who was reappointed chairman of the committee, decided to take the views of Constitutional experts as conflicting opinions were put out by members in favour of and against the committee taking up a report which the Congress members claimed was already rejected.
The report submitted by the earlier panel to Speaker Meira Kumar was sent back to Joshi as it was not approved by a majority of members.
Congress members led by Jayanti Natarajan opposed Joshi’s move to table the report saying a report that had been rejected would have to be redrafted before it could be presented again.
After the meeting, Joshi said several members referred to various rules and regulations guiding the report. All views would be taken into consideration, Joshi said, adding that he would consult Constitutional and legal experts before informing the panel as to how to take further the PAC report. This was the first meeting of the newly constituted PAC whose earlier term had expired on April 30. Joshi was re-nominated PAC chairman by the Speaker with the BJP again naming him for the post.
The report drafted by the earlier panel was critical of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Chidambaram who was the finance minister in 2007-08 when 2-G spectrum was allotted and alleged irregularities were committed.
Ruling party members in the PAC said since Joint-Parliamentary Committee headed by Congress member P C Chacko was already making a comprehensive inquiry into the 2-G scam, there was no need for the PAC to go into the details of the issue and should instead satisfy itself with scrutinising the CAG report.