JPC into 2G scam to seek term extension

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) The Joint Parliamentary Committee
looking into 2G spectrum allocation scam Tuesday decided to
seek extension of its term till the end of the next budget
session of Indian Parliament.
The term of the JPC ends on the last day of the ongoing
monsoon session.
JPC Chairman P C Chacko said here that the committee
members decided that Speaker Meira Kumar be asked to extend
the term of the panel till the end of the budget session.
"If the Speaker agrees, then I will move a motion in the
Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian parliament) to extend the
term as we will need more time to examine the
witnesses...earlier, we had thought that JPC will complete its
business by the end of the winter session. But that is not
possible," he said.
Despite efforts, the committee has so far only heard
officials of Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) and some former Telecom Secretaries.
It is yet to hear other former Telecom Secretaries,
former Chairmen of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI), former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee and former
Telecom Ministers.
Chacko said that after the ongoing session is over, the
committee will have more frequent meetings with extended
hours.
The JPC, consisting of 20 members from Lok Sabha and 10
from Rajya Sabha (upper house of Indian parliament), was
constituted to examine matters relating to allocation and
pricing of telecom licences and spectrum between 1998 and 2009
on 4 March, 2011.