Omicron dampens Parliament's PAC century celebrations

The threat of Omicron has dampened the celebrations being organised on December 4-5 to mark the 100th year of the establishment of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament as presiding officers of law-making bodies of 52 Commonwealth nations, including Pakistan, have declined the invitation to attend.

PAC chairperson and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told reporters here that a two-day event with four sessions will be held in Parliament House on December 4 -5. President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the event.

The invitations to presiding officers of Parliaments of 52 countries were sent through the Ministry of External Affairs. While 51 nations expressed regret stating that there are travel restrictions and other Covid constraints due to which they will not be able to attend, Pakistan did not respond to the invite sent by India. There will be no virtual session.


Chowdhury said 15 of these 52 countries have sent their articles for publication in the souvenir that will be released during the event.

PAC is one of the three permanent committees of Parliament. The other two are: Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU) and Estimates Committee.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union ministers, MPs and presiding officers of state assemblies will attend the inaugural session.

The PAC was formed when the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms were implemented in 1921. The panel used to have only 15 members, all from the Lower House. Later, seven members from the Upper House were included. The body got more teeth post-Independence, especially after 1967 when it was decided that a Lok Sabha MP from the opposition benches will head it.