What is PAC and what happens next

Accounting for misdeeds

Recommends stringent punitive action against those responsible for furnishing wrong information to Parliament, suppressing facts and deliberately misleading the Prime Minister

The 2G scam should be an eye-opener for cabinet secretariat and PMO to at least now start vigorously monitoring effective compliance of Cabinet decisions

Suggests cleansing of bureaucracy, proposes cooling-disconnect of three years for secretary-level officers after retirement

Whistleblowers be given statutory protection from the harassment, demotion, physical & financial harm

Government must evolve procedures to recover unlawful gains made by those responsible for the staggering national loss

Calls for stringent anti-corruption laws to deter public servants and provide speedy trial

Calls for CBI to be governed by new legislation to safeguard autonomy and independence Calls for a panel comprising Prime Minister, home minister, Supreme Court judge and leader of opposition for appointment of CAG, CVC & director CBI

What is the PAC?

Public Accounts Committee is the oldest committee of Parliament

It is strictly a committee of the Lok Sabha with associate members from Rajya Sabha, but they have equal rights

It has no more than 22 members, on a representative basis from the government and opposition.

By tradition its chairman is a nominee of the opposition

PAC usually looks at C&AG reports, but it can also take suo motu notice of other aspects of government expenditure

What happens next

The PAC report would be placed before the committee for its final approval Then it would be send to the Lok Sabha Speaker The Speaker would send it to the government for action The govt would consider the recommendations and report back with an action taken report.

Normally, wherever government cannot act on a PAC recommendation, it explains why Traditionally, when the House assembles PAC reports are not discussed in full But a discussion is possible through a motion demanding a discussion on the report.