NEW DELHI:: Congress seems set to lose the chairmanship of the parliamentary standing committee on law and justice, personnel and grievances, headed by deputy leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma.

It is learnt that BJP MP Bhupender Yadav will replace Sharma as chair of the crucial panel - an issue that triggered a standoff between the government and the principal opposition party. The law and justice panel has been in the news for starting a discussion on the limitations of the 'first past the post' system in elections and the desirability of 'proportional representation'. Key opposition parties are learnt to have told the committee that the electoral system should be a mix of 'first past the post' and 'proportional representation'.

Congress members alleged that BJP was uncomfortable with the discussion on electoral reforms which was the reason behind its move to take the panel. However, BJP managers have argued that the logic behind distribution of important committees was that the standing committee on finance was with Congress and that on commerce was with the ruling party. The public accounts committee was also with Congress. They argued that as the panel on home was with Congress, the one on law and justice should be with BJP. Sources said distribution of parliamentary committees was the prerogative of the chair on the "informal advice of the government".

Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu is learnt to have decided to allot the panel to BJP. The decision came in the wake of Congress numbers in Rajya Sabha falling below the tally required for it to hold on to the panels it chairs, as reported by TOI. Now, Congress and BJP are locked at 57 MPs each, and both will head two Rajya Sabha-chaired panels. Congress was reluctant to give up the panel and told the government that it was willing to surrender the one on science and technology. But the government insisted that Congress cede law and justice.

