In an unusual occurrence, the senior-most serving armed services officer, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, and Chief of the Army Staff General V.K. Singh on Wednesday appeared before the Public Accounts Committee examining the Comptroller and Auditor-General's report on issues relating to supply chain management of rations and Canteen Stores Department.
Air Chief Marshal Naik, Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, and Gen. Singh appeared before the PAC headed by senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi in the Parliament House. The Navy was represented by Vice-Chief D.K. Deewan since Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma is on an official overseas visit.
While the appearance of the top brass together before the body was the first of its kind, Dr. Joshi said that in the past the parliamentary committee saw the appearance of the Navy Chief in connection with an issue under examination.
The Committee members sought clarifications from the Chiefs, who sought time to get back with additional information. The PAC will firm up its view after receiving and scrutinising the information. It would then decide whether to call the officers again. The PAC chief has emphasised that the Services Chiefs were not ‘summoned' and that the Committee is part of Parliament that is supreme.
Asked about the rationale behind examining the Services Chiefs on Canteen Supply considering that the top leadership did not run the supply management, Dr. Joshi said the rules were framed by a top-level body in which the three Chiefs were members. In any case, the CAG report had specific paragraphs against which officials were examined.
