Indian polity 11

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES IN INDIA

Overview

• Since Parliament needs to perform substantial functions in limited time, it cannot go into the details of every legislative and other matter that comes before it
• For this reason, Parliamentary Committees are constituted to study in detail the legislative and other matters that come before Parliament
• Committees can be appointed in both Houses of Parliament, and their roles and functions are more or less similar

Functions of the Committees

• To consider the Demand for Grants of various Departments/Ministries and make reports to the Houses
• To examine Bills that are referred to the Committee by the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha
• To study annual reports of various Ministries and Departments
• To consider policy documents presented to the Houses if/when referred to the Committee by the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha

TYPES OF COMMITTEES

Ad hoc Committees

• They are appointed for a specific purpose and cease to exist when the task is finished
• They can either belong to one particular Parliament House or be a joint committee
• There are two types of Ad hoc committees
  • Committees appointed either by a motion in Parliament or by the Speaker/Chairman to enquire into a specific subject
  • Select or Joint Committees on Bills. These Committees are constituted to study and report on specific Bills
• Examples of Ad hoc Committees: Committees on Draft Five Year Plans, Railway Convention Committee, Fertilizer Pricing Committee etc

Standing Committees

• Standing Committees are Committees appointed every year or periodically, and their work goes on in a continuous basis
• The three most important Standing Committees (which deal with finance) are worth special mention
  • Committee on Estimates
  • Committee on Public Accounts
  • Committee on Public Undertakings
• Additionally, there are 24 Departmentally Related Standing Committees that deal with affairs of a specific Department/Ministry

IMPORTANT COMMITTEES

Departmentally Related Standing Committees

• There are a total of 24 Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSC)
• The DRSCs were first introduced in 1993 in a batch of 17, and a further 7 were added in 2004
• Each of these Committees consists of no more than 45 members.
  30 are to be nominated from the Lok Sabha and 15 from the Rajya Sabha
  
• Ministers are not eligible to be nominated to these Committees
• The term of the Committee is one year

Committee on Estimates

• Consists of 30 members elected from the Lok Sabha
• Ministers are not eligible for election to this Committee
• The term of the Committee is one year
• Primary functions include
  • report what improvements in organisation, efficiency or administration can be made
  • suggest policies to bring about improvements in efficiency and economy
• the Committee can select and study estimates pertaining to any Ministry or government body as it may see fit
• Committee can also examine matters of special interest that come up or are referred to it by the Speaker

Committee on Public Accounts

• Consists of 22 members: 15 elected from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha
• Ministers are not eligible for election to this Committee
• Term of office is one year
• Primary function is to determine if money granted by the Parliament has been spent by the Government within the scope of the Demand
• The Committee bases its examinations on the Appropriation Accounts of the Government and the Audit Reports presented by the Comptroller and Auditor General
• The Committee is not concerned with policy, but only with execution of the policy and its results

Committee on Public Undertakings

• Consists of 22 members: 15 elected from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha
• Ministers are not eligible for election to this Committee
• Term of office is one year
• Functions of the Committee include
  • Examine reports and accounts of Public Undertakings
  • Examine reports of the CAG on Public Undertakings
  • Examine whether Public Undertakings are being managed with sound business principles and prudent commercial practices
• The Committee does not examine government policy or day-to-day administration of the Undertakings

Other important committees

S. No.	Committee	House of Parliament/ Composition	Function(s)	Notes
1	Business Advisory Committee	Lok Sabha 15 (including Speaker)	Recommends the amount of time to be allotted for business in Parliament	The Speaker is the ex-officio Chairman Members are nominated by the Speaker Committee generally meets at the beginning of each Session
2	Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions	Lok Sabha 15 (including Dy Speaker)	Allot time to Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions Examine Private Members’ Bills seeking to amend the Constitution before introducing them in Lok Sabha Examine all Private Members’ Bills after they are introduced but before they are taken up for consideration Classify the Bills based on their matter, urgency into Category A or Category B	The Deputy Speaker is the ex-officio Chairman Members are nominated by the Speaker
3	Rules Committee	Lok Sabha (15 including Speaker)	Considers matters of procedure and conduct of business in the House Recommends amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha	The Speaker is the ex-officio Chairman Members are nominated by the Speaker
4	Committee of Privileges	Lok Sabha 15	Examines every question regarding breach of privilege of the House or of members of any Committee Determines whether breach of privilege was involved and makes Recommendations	Members are nominated by the Speaker
5	Committee on Papers Laid on the Table	Lok Sabha 15	Examine all papers laid on the table of the House by Ministers Report to the House whether there has been compliance of the Constitution Report whether there has been unreasonable delay in laying the paper Report whether both Hindi and English version have been laid	Members are nominated by the Speaker
6	Committee on Petitions	Lok Sabha 15	Consider and report on petitions presented to the House Considers representation from individuals and associations	Members are nominated by the Speaker Ministers not eligible
7	Committee on Subordinate Legislations	Lok Sabha 15	Scrutinizes and reports whether powers to make rules, regulations etc are being properly exercised by the Executive	Members are nominated by the Speaker Ministers not eligible
8	Committee on Govt. Assurances	Lok Sabha 15	Scrutinize the assurances promises etc given by Ministers and report on their implementation	Members are nominated by the Speaker Ministers not eligible
9	Committee on Absence of Ministers from Sittings of the House	Lok Sabha 15	Considers requests from Members for leave of absence from sittings of the House Examines every case where the member has been absent for 60 days or more without permission	Members are nominated by the Speaker Makes recommendations whether leave should be granted, absence granted or seat declared vacant
10	Joint Committee on Offices of Profit	Both Houses 15 – 10 from LS, 5 from RS	Examine the composition and character of Committees appointed by Government (Central and State) Recommend what offices should/should not disqualify a person as a member of either House of Parliament	Committee is constituted for the duration of the Lok Sabha
11	Committee on Welfare of SC/ST	Both Houses 30 – 20 from LS, 10 from RS	Considers all matters regarding the welfare of SC/STs falling within purview of Union Government and Union Territories Consider reports submitted by National Commission for SC/ST Examine measures taken by Union govt. to secure due representation of SC/ST in govt. services and posts	Ministers not eligible Term of the Committee is one year
12	Railway Convention Committee	Both Houses 18 – 12 from LS, 6 from RS	Review dividend payable by Railways to General Revenues Review other matters relating to Railways finance	This was the first Committee to be constituted after Independence (1949) Minister of Finance and Minister of Railways are members Ministers of State for Finance and Railways are also Members This is an ad hocCommittee
13	Committee on Empowerment of Women	Both Houses 30 – 20 from LS, 10 from RS	Reviews and monitors measures taken by Union Govt. to secure equality, status, dignity for women in all matters Suggest measures for improving status of women Review measures taken for education and representation of women in legislative bodies and other fields Considers reports of National Commission for Women