New Delhi, August 10
In a decision that saved the Congress-led UPA government from possible embarrassment, Rajya Sabha Chairperson Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today rejected the breach of privilege motion moved by suspended Congress leader Natwar Singh against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the leakage of Justice Pathak Authority report.
With the rejection of the privilege motion, plans of opposition parties to corner the government on the issue also fell flat.
Mr
Shekhawat, who read out a two-para statement rejecting the admissibility of the privilege motion, however, felt that the leakage of the contents of the Justice Pathak Authority report that went into the Iraqi oil contract scam was a “serious matter” that should be investigated.
“Past precedents in similar cases also lead me to reach the decision that this matter does not constitute any breach of privilege of the House,” Mr Shekawat ruled in the House as it met post-lunch after two adjournment.
“The said notice is not admissible,” the Chairperson said in his much-awaited ruling. Mr Natwar Singh was not present when it was delivered.
While rejecting the admissibility of the motion, Mr
Shekhawat termed as “sad and unfortunate” that the contents of the Justice R.S. Pathak authority report came to be “known to the media” on the very day it was submitted.
Calling the leak a “serious matter”, the Chairperson said “it would have been appropriate and desirable that when Parliament was in session, no part of the report should become public before the report was presented to Parliament.”
Mr Shekawat directed that the leakage of the report needs to be looked into and investigated.
The Chairperson said he had received Mr Natwar Singh's notice dated August 4 in which he had stated that within a few minutes of the submission of the report to the Prime Minister, the main findings of the report were made available to the media.
“This matter though very unfortunate and deplorable,” the Chairperson ruled, “does not involve the question of any breach of privilege of the House.”
