Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), headed by Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has selected 107 subjects and related CAG Audit reports including controversial subjects like Rafale fighter jets purchase.

The other controversial subjects which the PAC is going to scrutinise are the assessment on the implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) and its tax collection network GSTN, which invited am series of criticism from various stakeholders including from CAG.

The five aspects of GST and its related matters will be probed by the PAC. The objectives of GST, Revenue and return filing trends, IT audit of GSTN, Lack of access to data and Audit of Transitional Credits are the subjects under GST to be examined by the Public Accounts Committee. The PAC also selected the subject “Operational readiness of Indian Air Force.

After analyzing the CAG report, the PAC will examine the top officials of the concerned Ministries before submitting its report to the Parliament.

The examination of purchase of Rafale jets is expected to be a major point of contention between the Government and Opposition. Though the PAC is headed by an Opposition MP, the majority of the members belong to the ruling BJP.

The other important subjects selected by the panel are scrutinising the performance audit report on National Rural Drinking Water Programme, engagement of contract labour by Indian Railways, and Namami Ganga project.

The Public Accounts Committee’s scrutiny has many at times led to confrontation between the Government and Opposition.

In 2010, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi-led PAC’s probe on 2G Scam created a furore, leading to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh suo moto declaring that he was ready to appear before the panel, an offer that was promptly shot down by the Congress high comman.

The Joshi-led panel summoned many cororpate bigwigs including Ratan Tata in the probe related to the telecom scam. It also summoned all Chiefs of Army, Air Force and Navy in connection with the scrutiny of supply in Defence Canteens.

In recent times, the PACs headed by Congress leaders KV Thomas and Mallikarjun Kharge had summoned Finance Ministry officials and RBI Governors on scrutinizing the affects of demonetisation.     

The PAC consists of 15 Lok Sabha MPs including Chairman and seven MPs from Rajya Sabha.