Speaker rejects Opposition call for Chacko's removal

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Thursday rejected the Opposition demand for the removal of P C Chacko, the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probing the 2G scam, and suggested a resolution of the logjam through a “majority of votes”.

Kumar also turned down the plea of some Congress members that Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Yashwant Sinha, Jaswant Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad, should be barred from attending proceedings of the panel as they were instrumental in the decision-making process related to telecom between 1998 and 2004.

Noting that the faith reposed by Parliament is betrayed by trading allegations against each other, the Speaker said: “It is, therefore, necessary for the chairman and the members to sink their differences and present a report as mandated by Parliament.”
The Speaker pointed out that in any case, Rule 261 provides that all questions and sittings of a committee shall be determined by a “majority of votes” of the members present and voting.

 Now,  Chacko has to take a decision on convening the next meeting. As the term of the JPC will end on May 10, he is likely to take a call next week to decide whether to seek extension of the panel term or adopt the draft report in toto.