Information and broadcasting minister Pramod Mahajan told reporters after the meeting that the committee would submit its report within three months. Lt Gen (retd) KK Hazari and noted journalist BG Verghese are the members of the committee and Satish Chandra, National Security Council secretary, is the member secretary, Mahajan said.

He said the committee will recommend measures considered necessary to safeguard national security. Mahajan said the committee would have its headquarters in the capital.

Asked if the committee would go into the lapses, including intelligence failure, leading to the intrusion, the minister said terms of reference of the panel was wide enough and it was free to go into"anything and everything that may be political, administrative or military failures".To a question where was the need for setting up a committee when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had categorically said there was no intelligence failure, Mahajan said.

"We have no where said it was (due to) intelligence failure. The inquiry is to see what led to the situation, including whether the agression was in the recent past or five or 10 years or 25 years ago."

On whether the committee had been empowered to fix responsibility for the kargil developments, he said "when the committee gives its report, it can recommend it".

He said "many times in the past the prime minister, home minister, defence minister and external affairs minister have repeatedly said there is nothing to hide for this Government."

"National security is supreme and after war is over we are ready to inquire (into the aggression). We are sure that the committee which has eminent persons will give us a report to help us strengthen nationalsecurity," Mahajan said.