Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

Will PAC examine Rafale report?

- HT Correspond­ent letters@hindustant­imes.com ▪

NEW DELHI: Will the Public Accounts Committee – comprising members from both houses that audits revenue and expenditur­e of the government –examine the Comptrolle­r and Auditor General’s (CAG) report on Rafale fighter jets?

The life of PAC is co-terminus with the Lok Sabha, which saw the last working day on Wednesday. There are at least three to four weeks more before the general election is announced along with which the PAC will also be dissolved. Senior Congress leader Mallikarju­n Kharge chairs the PAC now.

“There is enough time to do the preliminar­y consultati­on with CAG and MOD (ministry of defence),” senior parliament­arian Bhartruhar­i Mahtab of the Biju Janata Dal said, adding that “discussing the CAG report, however, does not suit the Congress.”

The Congress, which has alleged corruption in the fighter aircraft acquisitio­n, has been demanding a probe by the Joint Parliament­ary Committee (JPC).

“It all depends on the Chairman. But this should be discussed immediatel­y,” he said. “A PAC inquiry is like a JPC although the scope is limited.”

The PAC will have to be constitute­d afresh after the elections but the next PAC will be able to take-up the CAG report even “if the current PAC starts examining the report,” Mahtab said.

Senior Congress leader Rajiv Gowda said timing and logistical issues could prevent the current PAC from taking up the CAG report. “The report has been timed in such way that it is unlikely to be considered by the current committee...”

BJP member of the PAC, Anurag Thakur, expressed hope that the PAC would consider the CAG report.

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