Explained: Opposition seeks JPC probe into Adani allegations. But what is JPC?  

The report published by the latter, ‘Adani Group: How The World’s 3rd Richest Man Is Pulling The Largest Con In Corporate History’

Hyderabad: The opposition parties of the country joined their hands on Thursday to demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the allegations levelled against industrialist Gautam Adani and his company by Heisenberg Research.

The report published by the latter, ‘Adani Group: How The World’s 3rd Richest Man Is Pulling The Largest Con In Corporate History’, claims that Adani Group is guilty of “stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades”.

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The demand for a JPC was backed by Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

Interestingly, ever since the NDA government came to power in 2014, no JPC has been set up.

What is a Joint Parliamentary Committee? 

A JPC is set up to investigate cases of financial irregularities in any government activity or to examine a particular Bill presented before the Parliament.

It can be set up only when a motion is passed in one House and supported by the other House. The committee’s members are decided by the Parliament and the strength of the committee can vary. However, there are twice as many Lok Sabha members as the Rajya Sabha.

A JPC invites the interested and related parties for inquiry, collects either verbal or written statements relevant to the case, and presents its report, which is kept confidential unless it is in the public interest to reveal it. Once the report is submitted to the Parliament, it is disbanded.

Past JPC Committees  

According to the Lok Sabha website, there have been six JPCs set up so far.

They were set up to examine matters relating to the Allocation and Pricing of Telecom Licenses and Spectrum; Pesticide Residues in and Safety Standards for Soft Drinks, Fruit Juice, and other Beverages; Stock Market Scam and Matters Relating thereto; Enquiry into irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions; Enquiry into Bofors Contract; and a Joint Committee to Examine the Constitutional and Legal Position Relating to Office of Profit.

A few years ago, a similar JPC probe was demanded into the Rafale deal and the connection with industrialist Anil Ambani. However, the Supreme Court dismissed petitions seeking a probe.