Chairperson of JPC should be from the Opposition

06 March, 2013

Chairperson of 'Joint Parliamentary Committee' (JPC) formed to probe allotment of 2-G scam should play role of a neutral umpire by accepting unanimous demand of all opposition groups and government's own ally DMK towards key-accused A Raja's justified demand for deposing before JPC.

It seems that testimony of the then Communications Minister may cause big un-comfort for some big names; this could be a reason for his deposition before JPC being opposed by the ruling party.

There is no sense in having provision of JPC formed on the basis of proportional representation of parties in two Houses of Parliament with its chairperson automatically being from the ruling party. Such a committee with majority-members and its Chairperson from the ruling party to probe any scam under regime of existing government will never create problem for the party in power through uncomfortable propositions put by members from opposition groups. This is a reason for failure of all JPCs formed till date in proving their worth for huge public-money spent on them.

Chairperson of JPC should be compulsorily from main opposition party like is system in Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Provision of JPC is in itself unnecessary in presence of PAC. Instead of investigating-agencies including, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), it should be given full autonomy with their chairpersons selected in consultation of Opposition Leader, also because experts rather than Parliamentarians can be better investigators.

JPC is rather a useless provision to cover-up scams by even snatching citizens’ right to further exposure through RTI Act on the matter in name of Parliamentary privilege.