Two RS members appointed to JPC on 2G, BJP protests

Two Rajya Sabha members, including a nominated one, were today appointed to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G scam amid stiff resistance from BJP which feared "dangerous implications" and stalled proceedings for rest of the day.
The motion to appoint Congress member P Bhattacharya and nominated member Ashok S Ganguly to the 30-member Committee was adopted by voice vote amid din created by BJP members who argued that the move will affect the balance of the panel.
The motion was moved to fill up two vacancies created in the JPC after the retirement of Opposition DMK member Tiruchi Siva and resignation of E M S Natchiappan (Congress), who became a Minister in July.

As soon as the motion was brought in the second attempt since the one failed last week, BJP members demanded its recall as it would have "dangerous implications".
However, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla, who moved the motion, insisted that the matter was discussed with different political parties and he had consulted with BJP leaders including Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley.
The JPC has 20 members from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.

Jaitley said such a practice by government was not good and will have "dangerous implications" as it will not have opposition representation.
"The numbers matter, remembering what has happened (in JPC). A Parliamentary Committee always represents the strength of various political parties. Government is taking away both the vacancies. This has never happened...This is against Parliamentary norms and extremely dangerous. The precedent they are setting is extremely bad," Jaitley said.

Criticising the move, Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) said, "It will have serious repercussions."
"Government is trying to dominate. It will set a bad precedent...Chair cannot conduct voting. Don't make new rulings," he said.