JPC is not a representative body: Govt.-only seven of the 37 parties could find a place in the panel.2/12/10

JPC is not a representative body: Govt.

PTI

With the Parlaiment deadlock continuing for the 15th working day, the government on Thursday said even if a JPC probe was ordered into the 2G issue, only seven of the 37 parties could find a place in the panel.

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The government on Thursday said even if a JPC probe was ordered into the 2G spectrum allocation, only seven of the 37 parties could find a place in the committee.

“Parliament is represented by 37 political parties, but the JPC would be restricted only to seven parties. Would it be a representative body?” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal told reporters.

Noting that the Supreme Court was seized of the matter and was pro-actively going into the issue, he said investigation, prosecution and adjudication cannot be done by a Parliamentary panel.

The proper forum for discussion on any issue would be Parliament, he said.

Mr. Bansal’s comments came close on the heels of the NDA declaring that there was no going back on the issue of JPC demand as it was a “multi-dimensional scam, undermining democracy itself” and wondering why the government was “scared” of such a probe.

Though the financial business of Parliament would be completed on Friday with the Rajya Sabha taking up the appropriation bills for Railways, sources said there was no immediate possibility of the Parliament adjourning sine die as the government was in no mood to rush through the pending bills.