Mandated to probe the cash-for-vote scam, the Lok Sabha special committee headed by V Kishore Chandra Deo has run into a major roadblock: the absence of an automatic mechanism to summon two members belonging to the Rajya Sabha, whose evidence is vital for conclusion of the inquiry. The three BJP MPs — Ashok Argal, Fagan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagora — who brought the Rs 1 crore in the Lok Sabha, have pointed accusing fingers at Rajya Sabha members Amar Singh and Ahmed Patel.

The committee, which met for the first time on Wednesday, deliberated on this vital issue. Since rules do not permit a committee belonging to one House to summon a member of the other House of Parliament, the panel would approach Rajya Sabha chairman Mohammad Hamid Ansari for assistance. As the committee has “no power” to summon Rajya Sabha members, Deo said the committee would make a request to Ansari through the Speaker.

Normally, such a committee is required to hand over the matter to the parallel committee of the other House. As the Deo committee has been set up specifically to look into the scam, its chairman can entrust the job to the Ethics Committee of the Upper House, whose nature is the closest to the work assigned to the panel. However, this particular case is much too complicated and it is doubtful if a parallel probe by another panel would be desirable.

“Even otherwise, it is going to be a tough call,” a veteran leader serving the committee told The Indian Express, pointing out that several points, ranging from technical details relating to phone calls, film footage to the source of money and evidence of the people concerned have to be covered. “It is impossible to come out with a report by August 11, the deadline set by Speaker Somnath Chatterjee for the purpose,” they added. Though not as categorical, Deo said: “We are not going to waste time, but we would not hasten to give an incomplete report.”

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