Members of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament have decided to press Speaker Onasari Gharti to appoint the panel’s chairperson.

The post has been vacant for five months after Janardan Sharma was appointed a minister. A meeting of the committee on Tuesday decided to meet the Speaker and ask her to appoint the chair as several complaints lodged in the PAC had not been heard for long.

Besides, the meeting agreed to sort the issues pending in the committee immediately and direct the Investigation, Study and Monitoring Committee to carry out its works effectively, senior most member of the committee Sarbendra Nath Shukla said.

It was also agreed that the Arrears Settlement Subcommittee will take initiatives for clearing the arrears in the government bodies. The meeting decided to summon the acting auditor general, the chief secretary and secretaries of 10 ministries having maximum arrears on January 9 for discussion.

Committee member Ramhari Khatiwada said they had urged the Speaker earlier to work on electing the new chairperson.

The PAC’s role is deemed crucial for maintaining a check and balance in the government’s activities. Though there is the practice of having an opposition MP as the committee chair, the PM’s party CPN (Maoist Centre) has also staked its claim to the post.