Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge to be next PAC chairman

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has been nominated as the new chairman of the Public's Account Committee (PAC) of Parliament.

Kharge, who filed the nomination papers yesterday, will succeed his party colleague KV Thomas who is completing three terms in the post. "It is a normal procedure. The Leader of Opposition is always nominated as PAC chairman," Kharge said.

The senior Congress leader will take charge from May 1.

The Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) leadership yesterday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, nominating Kharge's name for the post.

By the virtue of being the PAC chairman, Kharge will now be entitled for a Cabinet rank and an office at the Parliament House.

The PAC is formed every year consisting of 22 members 15 Lok Sabha and seven Rajya Sabha members. None of the member of the committee hold any minister post.

The post is always given to the member of a political party which has second largest presence after the ruling party in the Parliament.

PAC's primary role is to examine the audit report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) after it is laid in the Parliament.

The CAG assists the committee during the course of investigation.