House panel drops J&K Internet, Tharoor tells Speaker it’s not in court

The debate over the Speaker’s letter urging parliamentary panels not to discuss matters pending in courts is far from over. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who chairs the parliamentary standing committee on information technology, has written to Speaker Om Birla, saying the panel can take up the issue of telecom and Internet connections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said although J&K has been dropped from the revised agenda for the September 2 meeting of the committee, the matter will be discussed by panel members.

Following the Speaker’s August 25 letter asking heads of all committees to avoid discussions on sub judice matters at their meetings, Tharoor is learnt to have sent him a reply, citing rules.