Parliamentary Committees
- The Constitution mentions these committees but does not provide detailed provisions; they are dealt with in the Rules of Houses (RoH).
- Consultative Committees are NOT Parliamentary Committees (PCs).
- Chairmen of all LS Parliamentary Committees are appointed by the Speaker.
- Types of Committees:
- Ad Hoc Committees:
- Inquiry Committees
- Advisory Committees
- Standing Committees: (FDI ScDH – Financial, Departmental, Inquiry, Scrutinize & Control, etc.)
Types of Parliamentary Committees
| Committees | Financial Committees | Department Standing Committees (DSC) | Committee on Inquiry | Committee to Scrutinize & Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subcommittees | 1. Public Accounts Committee (PAC) 2. Estimates Committee (EC) 3. Committee on Public Undertakings (CoPU) | 1. Various Departmental Committees (1993 – Rules Committee) | 1. Petitions 2. Privileges 3. Ethics | 1. Government Assurances 2. Subordinate Legislation 3. Welfare of SC/ST 4. Empowerment of Women 5. Papers Laid on the Table 6. Joint Committee on Office of Profit |
Details of Major Committees
| Committee | Public Accounts Committee (PAC) | Estimates Committee (EC) | Committee on Public Undertakings (CoPU) | Department Standing Committees (DSC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | 1921 (Govt of India Act 1919) | 1921 (Standing Financial Committee), 1950 (John Mathai) | 1964 (Krishna Menon Committee) | 1993 (Rules Committee Recommendation) |
| Strength | 22 (15 LS + 7 RS) | 30 | 22 (15 LS + 7 RS) | 31 (21 LS + 10 RS) |
| Rajya Sabha Members? | ✅ YES | ❌ NO | ✅ YES | ✅ YES |
| Chairman | Appointed by Speaker (NOT elected) 1967 – From the Opposition | Ruling Party | Only from Lok Sabha | Appointed by Speaker (for LS) or Chairman (for RS) |
| Key Responsibilities | – Examines State Corporations, Manufacturing Projects, Autonomous & Semi-autonomous Bodies, Excess Grants. – PAC established under Rule 308 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha. | – Not necessary for the committee to examine the entire estimates of any one year. – Any change in budget preparation requires EC approval. – Continuous Economy Committee. – Demand for Grants (DfG) can be voted even if the committee has not submitted its report. | – Considers Demand for Grants BEFORE LS discusses and votes on them (but NOT before introduction in the House). – Bills referred after discussion in the House. | – Under Rajya Sabha: Home, Health, HRD, Industry, Commerce, Transport, S&T, Environment, Personnel, and Law & Justice. – Tenure of each Standing Committee = 1 year. |
Other Committees
Committee on Inquiry
| Committee | Strength (LS/RS) | Key Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Committee on Petitions | LS-15 RS-10 | 1. Examines petitions on Bills & Matters of General Public Interest (MoGPI). 2. Entertains representations from individuals & associations on matters in the Union List. |
| Committee on Privileges | LS-15 RS-10 | 1. Semi-judicial body: Examines breaches of privilege. |
| Ethics Committee | RS-1997 LS-2000 | 1. Enforces Code of Conduct for MPs. 2. Maintains discipline & decorum in the House. 3. Suo motu investigations allowed. |
Committee to Scrutinize & Control
| Committee | Year of Establishment | Strength (LS/RS) | Key Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Committee on Government Assurances | 1953 | LS-15 RS-10 | 1. Examines whether promises made by ministers in the House are fulfilled. 2. Assurances must be fulfilled within 3 months (extensions require committee approval). |
| Committee on Subordinate Legislation | 1953 | – | 1. Examines Executive’s power to make rules, regulations, and bye-laws. |
| Committee on Papers Laid on the Table | 1975 | – | 1. Examines all papers laid by Ministers in the House for constitutional and legal compliance. 2. Does NOT examine statutory notifications & orders (handled by the Committee on Subordinate Legislation). |
| Committee on Welfare of SC/ST | – | LS-20 RS-10 | 1. Considers reports from NCSC & NCST. 2. Examines all matters related to SC/ST welfare. |
| Committee on Empowerment of Women | – | LS-20 RS-10 | 1. Considers reports of the National Commission for Women (NCoW). 2. Examines steps taken by the Government to safeguard dignity, status, and equality of women. |
| Joint Committee on Office of Profit | – | LS-10 RS-5 | 1. Examines the composition & character of government bodies at the Union, State & UT levels. 2. Determines whether positions held by MPs/MLAs qualify as ‘Office of Profit’, leading to disqualification from House membership. |
Committees Related to Day-to-Day Business of the House
| Committee | Strength (LS/RS) | Key Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Committee on Private Members’ Bills | LS-15 (Deputy Speaker = Chairperson) Not in RS | 1. Classifies Private Members’ Bills & allocates time for discussion. 2. In Rajya Sabha, this function is handled by the Business Advisory Committee. |
| Committee on Absence of Members | Not in RS (handled by House itself) | Examines requests for leave of absence by MPs. |
| Housekeeping Committee | – | Manages housekeeping & facilities for MPs. |
| Joint Committee on Salaries & Allowances of Members | LS-10 RS-5 | 1. Frames rules under the Salaries & Allowances of MPs Act, 1954. 2. Chairman elected by committee members. 3. Reports NOT submitted to the House, but to the Speaker & RS Chairman, who approve the rules. |
Consultative Committees
- Attached to various Government Departments/Ministries.
- Minister = Chairman + Member.
- Constituted by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
- Membership = Voluntary.
- Dissolved with the dissolution of Lok Sabha.
- Informal Consultative Committees:
- MPs assigned Railway zones, meeting only during sessions.
