New Delhi:
Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari has virtually pulled up T Subbirami Reddy, Chairman of a Parliamentary Committee that went into the Nuclear Liability Bill for the insertion of some words beyond agreed terms that threatened the passage of the measure.
"...it would be desirable that Chairpersons of Committees should invariably follow up their verbal instructions of such nature in writing to the staff so that there is no room for any misgivings as in the instant case.
"This would obviate any criticism on the functioning of the Secretariat," Ansari in his order after receiving the report from Rajya Sabha Secretary General V K Agnihotri who enquired into the mishandling of the Standing Committee report on the Bill.
Reddy had reportedly told the Rajya Sabha Secretariat officials to include the controversial "and" at the end of Clause 17A of the Bill which the opposition contended would have let the suppliers of nuclear equipment off the hook in regard to compensation in case of an accident.
This addition was made after a consensus in the Committee on the removal of this word. The addition, according to Opposition members, was done surreptitiously by stapling a page to the report. Following this, Ansari asked Agnihotri to go into it.
In his order, Ansari also upbraided officials for their conduct, saying an official of Joint Secretary is expected to exert "better acumen and judgement on such occasions".
"The clarification rendered by the Joint Secretary on this matter is not very satisfactory. Even a telephonic intimation to the Secretary General seeking advice would have avoided such procedural lapse.
"It is expected that senior officials of such rank should exert better acumen and judgement on such occasions. I trust such lapses would not occur in future," the Chairman said in his order.
The bill has since been passed by Parliament.
The Parliament Standing Committee on Science and Technology had submitted its report on August 18.