Consider the following statements withreference to parliamentary commi...
- The Parliament is too unwieldy a body to deliberate effectively on the issues that come up before it. The functions of the Parliament are varied, complex, and voluminous. Moreover, it has neither the adequate time nor the necessary expertise to make a detailed scrutiny of all legislative measures and other matters. Therefore, it is assisted by a number of committees in the discharge of its duties.
- The Constitution of India makes a mention of these committees at different places, but without making any specific provisions regarding their composition, tenure, functions, etc. All these matters are dealt with by the rules of two Houses. Accordingly, a parliamentary committee means a committee that: Hence statement 1 is not correct.
- Is appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker / Chairman.
- Works under the direction of the Speaker / Chairman. o Presents its report to the House or to the Speaker / Chairman.
- Has a secretariat provided by the Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha.
- Broadly, parliamentary committees are of two kinds-Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees.
- The standing committees are permanent (constituted every year or periodically) and work on a continuous basis. Hence statement 2 is correct.
- The Ad Hoc Committees are temporary and cease to exist on completion of the task assigned to them. Ad hoc committees can be divided into two categories, that is, Inquiry Committees and Advisory Committees.
- Inquiry Committees are constituted from time to time, either by the two Houses on a motion adopted in that behalf or by the Speaker / Chairman, to inquire into and report on specific subjects. For example, the committee on the Conduct of Certain Members during President’s Address.
- Advisory Committees include select or joint committees on bills, which are appointed to consider and report on particular bills. These committees are distinguishable from the other ad hoc committees in as much as they are concerned with bills and the procedure to be followed by them is laid down in the Rules of Procedure and the Directions by the Speaker / Chairman.
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Consider the following statements withreference to parliamentary commi...
Explanation:
Statement 1: The Constitution of India has prescribed specific functions for all parliamentary committees.
- This statement is incorrect. The Constitution of India does not prescribe specific functions for parliamentary committees. The functions of the parliamentary committees are determined by the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Parliament, which are made by the Parliament itself.
- The parliamentary committees are set up to assist the Parliament in its work of legislation, oversight, and scrutiny of the executive. They are formed to study and analyze bills, examine the budget, scrutinize the working of the government, and consider issues of public importance.
- The functions of each committee are determined by the Speaker of Lok Sabha or Chairman of Rajya Sabha, based on the recommendations of the Rules Committee, which consists of members from both Houses of Parliament.
Statement 2: The standing committees are permanent and work on a continuous basis.
- This statement is correct. The standing committees of Parliament are permanent committees that are constituted every year or for the duration of the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha. They are called "standing committees" because they are set up on a permanent basis and continue to work throughout the year, even when the Parliament is not in session.
- There are currently 24 standing committees in the Lok Sabha and 16 standing committees in the Rajya Sabha. These committees are responsible for examining bills, scrutinizing the budget, and reviewing the functioning of various ministries and departments.
- The standing committees are considered to be the most important and powerful committees in Parliament. They play a crucial role in the legislative process and provide a platform for in-depth examination and analysis of issues before they are debated in the Parliament.
- The members of the standing committees are elected by the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha, and the chairpersons are appointed by the Speaker of Lok Sabha/Chairman of Rajya Sabha. The members of these committees are drawn from different political parties in proportion to their strength in the Parliament.
Conclusion:
- Therefore, only Statement 2 is incorrect. The Constitution of India does not prescribe specific functions for parliamentary committees, and the standing committees are permanent and work on a continuous basis.
Consider the following statements withreference to parliamentary commi...
The Constitution of India has prescribed specific functions for all parliamentary committees: This statement is not correct. The Constitution of India does not prescribe specific functions for all parliamentary committees. While the Constitution mentions a few committees like the Public Accounts Committee, the actual functioning and specific roles of various parliamentary committees are typically detailed in the rules of procedure of the Parliament, not directly in the Constitution. The standing committees are permanent and work on a continuous basis: This statement is correct. Standing committees are indeed permanent and work on a continuous basis. They are reconstituted from time to time and have fixed jurisdictions over matters related to their respective departments or subjects. Given this information, the statement that is not correct is: 1 only.