The Public Accounts Committee has taken up the contentious AgustaWestland-VVIP chopper deal for examination, but the BJP’s long pending demand to head the sub-panel on defence has again been ignored and panel chairman Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Congress leader Shantaram Naik as its convenor. The PAC has selected 196 subjects, seven of which it has taken up suo motu, including bad debts in public institutions and review of the monetary policy. The issue of monetary policy was taken up suo motu by the previous committee headed by K V Thomas. The issue of demonetisation and the AgustaWestland deal sparked controversies in the last PAC. BJP member Nishikant Dubey had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan seeking a privilege motion against Thomas after he said the PAC can call the Prime Minister before the panel.

Source: Indian Express May 23, 2017 23:03 UTC