New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS): After the Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed ex-SC judge, Justice Indu Malhotra to head the committee to investigate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach in Punjab which happened last week, the Congress leaders from the state have welcomed the decision.

Manish Tewari who is MP from Punjab said, "Supreme Court had to do what Centre & State Govt should have collectively done on Day-1 itself. Order a Joint probe under the aegis of a Judge. Exactly what I had demanded. Sad commentary of polarised times we live in that no issue is above politics."

Another Congress leader from the state Jaiveer Shergill said in a statement, "Formation of committee headed by Justice Indu Malhotra to investigate PM's security lapse episode is a necessary and welcome move; independent inquiry is a must to fix accountability and prevent serious issue of PM security being reduced to political fodder."

Incidentally the Congress and BJP are at loggerheads over the issue and blamed each other for the breach.

The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said the panel will inquire into causes of the security breach, persons responsible for it, and also measures to be taken in future to prevent security breach of the Prime Minister and other constitutional functionaries.

The other members of the panel are -- Director General of Police, Chandigarh; Inspector General, National Investigation Agency (NIA) or his nominee not below the rank of IG; Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court; and Additional DGP, Security, Punjab.

The bench emphasised that such questions cannot be left open for one-sided inquiries. Both the state government and the Central government had formed their committees to inquire into the matter. The top court had asked both the Centre and Punjab government to not move ahead with their respective inquiries into the matter.