New Delhi, Oct. 2: An announcement on extending the tenure of the Phukan Commission inquiring into the Tehelka tape scandal will be made tomorrow but there is a strong view in the government to institute a parallel inquiry by the CBI.

There has been no word so far on giving the commission an extension ? its term ends tomorrow. Personnel and training department officials said they had not received the proposal from the law ministry needed to issue a notification.

But neither the officials nor some of the people affected by the Tehelka sting operation believe the government will let the commission lapse in view of yesterday?s affidavit that was aimed at limiting the panel?s scope.

The finance ministry had yesterday informed the commission that it should keep away from inquiring into journalistic ethics of the Tehelka news portal or its promoters.

The commission, led by Justice (retd) K. Venkataswami, was constituted in March 2001 with the mandate to probe allegations made by Tehelka in its ?Operation West-End?.

Justice Venkataswami put in his papers in November 2002 after a controversy over his appointment to a legal tribunal that was perceived as an attempt to curry favour with the judge for a favourable report. Justice S.. Phukan was subsequently appointed to the commission.

There are indications that the Congress-led UPA government favours going in for a parallel probe by the CBI to investigate the Tehelka sting operation that caught members of the then ruling coalition purportedly accepting money on tape.

The government is learnt to have sounded out the CBI but officials say the paperwork to make a formal reference to the country?s premier investigating agency may take some time.

Besides, it is being pointed out that the government would like the CBI chief to be around when a formal directive is sent. Bureau director U.S. Misra leaves tonight for an overseas tour and is likely to return around mid-October.

It is being suggested that the proposed CBI inquiry is likely to concentrate on the political actors in the controversy rather than gun for the bureaucracy in the defence ministry that is said to have got into the habit of sitting on defence deals to ensure they are not victimised in a witch-hunt.

The Tehelka tapes had purportedly showed money changing hands to influence defence deals.

Congress leaders believe a CBI inquiry is the natural thing to do, given the party?s consistent demand for it and the perception in the party and outside that the National Democratic Alliance opted for an inquiry commission to obscure facts rather than get to the truth.

A CBI inquiry would also suit the Congress and its allies, especially the Laloo Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal. Such a probe against NDA members like George Fernandes, Jaya Jaitley and former BJP chief Bangaru Laxman could come in handy in the Bihar elections next year to counter the NDA?s ?tainted? minister campaign.

It is being argued that if a CBI case could be registered against Dilip Singh Judeo on the basis of a video film whose credibility is not known, there is no reason why the bureau could not investigate money changing hands as recorded in the Tehelka tapes.