Government agrees to opposition demand for a 30 member JPC

The government today conceded the opposition demand for a 30 member JPC to probe the 2G spectrum issue, dropping its plan for a 21-member panel. The bigger committee will accommodate smaller parties like AIADMK, according to sources.

AIADMK MP M Thambidurai met leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, and NDA working chairperson LK Advani today to request them to take up its case for a 30-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

Both Advani and Swaraj conveying the sentiments to the government, suggested the formation of a bigger committee.

''Even Parliamentary Standing Committee - which are considered mini-JPCs - have 30 members. Moreover, the earlier three JPCs on corruption have had 30 members,'' Swaraj told reporters.

According to government sources, it had been decided to have a 30-member panel to accommodate smaller parties which could not have been represented in a 21-member JPC.

Twenty members of the JPC will be from the Lok Sabha with 10 from the Rajya Sabha and the seats given to each party would be based on its strength in the two Houses.