LS to act against media for premature reportage of panel

New Delhi, Oct 7 (UNI) The Lok Sabha today threatened to proceed against the newspapers and television news channels which had reported that the Parliamentary panel probing into the cash-for-vote scam had exonerated Samajwadi Party (SP) General Secretary Amar Singh and Congress leader Ahmed Patel.

A Press Release issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat said here the committee deliberated on its draft report in a meeting held here yesterday. It, however, did not adopt its draft report at the meeting as members wanted more time to go through the draft report.

The committee, which was constituted to inquire into the complaint made by three BJP MPS regarding alleged offer of money to them to vote with the government in the July 22 Vote of Confidence, will again meet on October 17 to discuss the draft report.

"It is well established that publication of a draft or approved report of a Parliamentary Committee, before such a report has been presented to the House, is treated as a breach of privilege of the House," the release said, adding that "any publication of a draft report which has been submitted to a Committee, before such a report has been agreed to by the Committee and presented to the House may be treated as contempt." The release said the publication of the news items giving publicity to purported recommendations contained in the draft report of the panel were based on 'unsubstantiated and unauthorised sources.' "Such reports, besides being a breach of privilege and contempt of the House, amount to lowering the dignity of the Inquiry committee as well as the House and may attract penal powers of the House," it said.

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