It’s Hobson’s choice for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) whether to summon prime minister Manmohan Singh in the second generation mobile telephony spectrum scam or submit its report without the his testimony.
Singh a few months ago had offered to appear before the PAC. However, rules and procedures prohibit the panel to summon even a deputy minister or minister of state to appear as a witness without the permission of the Lok Sabha speaker.
PAC chairperson Murli Manohar Joshi is in a dilemma whether to seek speaker’s permission or wind up proceedings on April 16 after recording testimonies of officials.
The panel will quiz attorney general Goolam Vahanvati, law secretary DR Meena and CBI director AP Singh on Friday and prime minister’s principal secretary TKA Nair and cabinet secretary KM Chandrashekhar on April 16.
PAC sources say Dr Joshi is in the process of finding a middle path and doesn’t want the opportunity given by the PM himself to appear before him to go waste. The PAC members may informally discuss the issue after completing the current round of depositions.
