The Hindu : Speaker refers PAC report to next Lok Sabha

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Friday, Feb 06, 2004

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Speaker refers PAC report to next Lok Sabha

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 5. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Manohar Joshi, referred the contentious report of the Public Accounts Committee on the "short levy of customs duty due to incorrect classification," to the next Lok Sabha.

Giving his ruling on the report, which was the subject matter of heated exchanges between the Treasury benches and the Opposition, Mr. Joshi said: "I suggest that this matter may be taken up for the consideration again by the PAC of the next Lok Sabha."

The Speaker also noted that having gone through the records he had found that the minutes of the meeting of the committee held were yet to be circulated to the members. "The minutes remain confidential and I would not like to go into the proceedings of the committee," he said.

As soon as the Speaker finished reading out his ruling, Buta, Singh, PAC chairman, said he had already tabled the report and he should not be held responsible if its findings were published in the press.

Earlier, both sides appeared determined on grabbing whatever last minute political mileage was possible, as they squared up to each other on the whether Mr. Buta Singh, be allowed to table a report which was not listed in the day's list of business. Mr. Singh's attempt to table the report was objected to by the members of the ruling coalition on the grounds that neither was the report unanimous nor was it listed for the day.

The Opposition countered it by saying that the report was unanimous and cited precedents to press for the tabling it.

The Speaker had to intervene saying he was holding back the tabling of the report purely "on the grounds that it was not listed on the agenda of the day." He promised to announce his ruling before the adjournment of the House. He also assured that he would look into the reasons why the report was not listed on the day's agenda.

Later, the Speaker observed that there were conflicting versions with regard to whether the report had been unanimously adopted.

He pointed out that he was in receipt of a letter from seven MPs, contesting Buta Singh's claim that the report was unanimous. He said that the BOP MP, Kirit Somayia, had met him and objected to its presentation.

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