Parliamentary Committees - Indian Parliament | SSC CGL Tier 2 - Study Material, Online Tests, Previous Year PDF Download

Introduction

Parliamentary committees serve as crucial tools for the effective functioning of Parliament. While the Indian constitution references these committees in various sections, it lacks specific provisions regarding their composition, tenure, or functions. The two primary types of Parliamentary Committees are Ad Hoc Committees and Standing Committees.

The Method of Appointment for Parliamentary Committees involves their appointment or election by the house, nomination by the Speaker or Chairman, and their operation under the guidance of the respective speaker or chairman. The committees present their reports either to the house or directly to the speaker or chairman.

Parliamentary committees can be broadly categorized into two types:

1. Standing Committees:
   • These committees are permanent and are constituted annually or periodically, functioning on an ongoing basis.
2. Ad Hoc Committees:
   • These committees are temporary and disband upon the completion of the assigned task.

Standing Committees

In India, Standing Committees fall into different categories:

1. Financial Committee:

• Public Accounts Committee: Examines the government's annual reports and reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General. It consists of 22 members.
• Estimates Committee: Evaluates the government's planned expenditure estimates and suggests economies in government spending. It comprises 30 members.
• Committee on Public Undertakings: Reviews reports and accounts of public undertakings, consisting of 22 members.

2. Departmental Standing Committees:

• There are a total of 24 Departmental Standing Committees, with 8 under Rajya Sabha and 16 under Lok Sabha.

Functions of Standing Committees:

• They scrutinize grant requests from relevant ministries, without representing cut-motions.
• Examination of bills related to the concerned ministry.
• Reviewing yearly reports of ministries.
• Considering policy documents provided by ministries to both houses.
• Making advisory recommendations that are not binding on Parliament.

24 departmental standing committees are

3. Committees for Inquiry:

There are three distinct types:

• Committee on Petitions: This committee examines legislative petitions and matters of general public significance. The Lok Sabha committee comprises 15 members, while the Rajya Sabha committee has 10 members.

• Committee on Privileges: Tasked with investigating and recommending appropriate action when a member violates the code of conduct, this committee has a semi-judicial nature. It consists of 15 members in the Lok Sabha and 10 members in the Rajya Sabha.

• Ethics Committee: Established in 1997 in the Rajya Sabha and in 2000 in the Lok Sabha, this committee investigates violations or indiscipline by members of the house and takes necessary action.

4. Committees for Scrutiny and Control:

There are six types of these committees:

• Committee on Government Assurance: Examines the extent to which promises, assurances, and undertakings made by a minister in the Lok Sabha are fulfilled. It includes 15 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members.

• Committee on Subordinate Legislation: Evaluates whether the executive is appropriately exercising its authority to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, and bye-laws delegated by Parliament or bestowed by the Constitution. Constituted in 1953, it consists of 15 members.

• Committee on Papers Laid on the Table: Examines papers placed on the table by ministers for credibility and compliance with constitutional provisions. It has 15 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members.

• Committee on Welfare of SCs and STs: With 30 members (20 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha), this committee considers reports from the National Commission for SCs and STs.

• Committee on Women's Empowerment: Reviews the report of the National Commission on Women to ensure the status, dignity, and equality of women in all fields.

• Joint Committee on Office of Profit: Examines the composition and character of committees and bodies appointed by federal, state, and union territory governments, making recommendations on the eligibility of individuals holding these positions for election to Parliament. It consists of 15 members (10 from Lok Sabha and 5 from Rajya Sabha).

5. Committees Related to Day-to-Day Business of the House:

There are four types:

• Business Advisory Committee: Regulates the house's program and timetable, with 15 members in the Lok Sabha (including the speaker as chairman) and 11 members in the Rajya Sabha.

• Committee on Private Members' Bills and Resolutions: Classifies legislation and allocates debate time for private member bills and resolutions. This special committee in the Lok Sabha has 15 members, including a deputy speaker as chairman.

• Rules Committee: Recommends amendments to the house's rules. In the Lok Sabha, it consists of 15 members (with the speaker as ex officio chairman), and in the Rajya Sabha, it has 16 members (with the chairman as ex officio chairman).

• Committee on Absence of Members: Considers leave requests submitted by members in the Lok Sabha, comprising 15 members. There is no equivalent committee in the Rajya Sabha.

6. Housekeeping Committee:

There are four types:

• General Purposes Committee: Deals with issues outside the purview of other legislative committees, consisting of the presiding officer (Speaker/Chairman), Speaker's Deputy (Deputy Chairman in the Rajya Sabha), members of the chairpersons' panel, chairpersons of departmental standing committees, leaders of recognized parties and groups, and other members nominated by the presiding officer.

• House Committee: Oversees services provided to members, such as housing, food, and medical assistance. In the Lok Sabha, it consists of 12 members.

• Library Committee: Deals with matters related to the parliament library, assisting members in utilizing library services. It comprises 9 members - 6 from the Lok Sabha and 3 from the Rajya Sabha.

• Joint Committees on Salaries and Allowances of Members: Constituted under the Salary Allowance and Pension of Members Act 1954, it consists of 15 members, with 10 from the Lok Sabha and 5 from the Rajya Sabha.

• Consultative Committees: Attached to various ministries or departments of the government, providing a forum for informal discussions between ministers and members on government policies and programs. Constituted by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. Membership ranges from 10 to 30, with membership being voluntary.

Ad Hoc Committees

Ad Hoc Committees fall into two main categories, both of which are of a temporary nature:

• Inquiry Committees:

  • These committees are formed periodically, either through a motion moved by both houses or by the speaker or chairman. Their purpose is to conduct inquiries on specific subjects.

• Advisory Committees:

  • Comprising select or joint committees on bills, these are appointed to examine and provide reports on particular bills. They play a role in offering information and insights on specific legislative matters.

Recent Controversies

It is noteworthy that in recent years, standing and ad hoc committees tasked with scrutiny and recommendations have faced neglect or marginalization. The government has exhibited a reluctance to refer bills to House Select Committees or Joint Parliamentary Committees for comprehensive examination.

A notable example is the absence of such reference for significant legislative acts, including the overhaul of Article 370. This amendment, which revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories, did not undergo scrutiny by any House committee.

In the recent monsoon session of Parliament, critical bills such as the three agricultural produce Bills and the three labor Bills, addressing conditions of work, terms of employment, grievance redress, and social security, warranted examination by Select Committees. However, the government, leveraging its two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament, expedited the passage of these bills without the due scrutiny that such significant legislative changes typically entail.