P.C. Chacko, the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that is looking into all aspects of the 2G spectrum allocation scam, on Monday said that he will move a resolution in the Lok Sabha to extend the committee’s tenure.
Chacko said that he would seek an extension of the tenure till the next session of parliament.
The tenure of the JPC is expiring on May 10.
Fifteen JPC members of opposition parties had earlier expressed ‘no confidence’ in panel chairperson P.C. Chacko, and sought his removal by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on the 2G draft report, which gives a clean chit to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Finance Minister.
The Lok Sabha Speaker had, however, rejected the opposition demand for removing Chacko, and urged all the members to sort out differences with him.
Former Telecom Minister A. Raja had earlier last month lashed out at the JPC for not allowing him to depose before it, saying this is not the way the panel examining the 2G spectrum allocation is expected to function.
Raja, who has been accused of indulging in a scam worth Rs. 1.76 lakh crore when in office, has so far reiterated that he did everything in consultation with the Prime Minister, and said that he will prove his innocence in the 2G spectrum scam case.
Raja has repeatedly said that the Prime Minister and Finance Minister were in the loop over policy decisions related to 2G spectrum allocation.
Raja was forced to resign from the Union Cabinet after the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) faulted him for undervaluing spectrum to favour companies who were largely ineligible for 2G spectrum, and added that the government had probably lost Rs. 1.76 lakh crore in estimated revenue. (ANI)