Parliamentary Committees

Parliamentary Committees - Indian Parliament

• The functions of Parliament are diverse, complex, and extensive. Furthermore, it lacks the time and expertise to thoroughly investigate all legislative actions and other issues. As a result, a number of committees assist it in carrying out its duties. Parliamentary committees are a tool for the efficient operation of Parliament. The Indian constitution mentions committees several times but makes no mention of their composition, tenure, or functions.

Appointment Procedures for Parliamentary Committees

• The house appoints or elects parliamentary committees, or the Speaker or Chairman nominates them.
• It operates under the supervision of the speaker or chairman.
• Presents its report to the house, the speaker, or the chairman.
• Types
• Different types of parliamentary committees
• There are two kinds of parliamentary committees:
• Standing committees
• Ad hoc committees
• Standing committees are permanent, formed once a year or more frequently, and work on a continuous basis.
• Ad hoc committees are only temporary and will be disbanded once the task assigned to them is completed.

Standing committees

• There are six different types of standing committees in India, which are listed below. They are naturally indestructible.
• 1. Financial Advisory Committee
• There are three types of financial committees:
• The Public Accounts Committee investigates the government's annual reports as well as the Comptroller and Auditor General's reports, which are presented to parliament by the President. It was founded in 1921. It is made up of 22 people ( 15 from Lok Sabha and 7 from Rajya Sabha )
• Estimates Committee: This committee evaluates the government's budgeted expenditure estimates and proposes "savings" in government spending. All 30 members are from the Lok Sabha.
• The Committee on Public Undertakings evaluates the reports and accounts of public undertakings. It is made up of 22 people ( 15 from Lok Sabha 7 from Rajya Sabha )

Departmental Standing Committees

• There are 24 Departmental Standing Committees in total, with 8 under Rajya Sabha and 16 under Lok Sabha.
• Functions
• They handle grant requests from the appropriate ministries. They are not examples of cut-motion.
• They look over the bills for the ministry under consideration.
• They work on the annual reports for the ministries.
• They also consider policy documents provided by ministries to both houses.
• They make advisory recommendations that are not legally binding on Parliament.
• 24 departmental standing committees are

Committees to inquire

• There are three main kinds:
• Committee on Petitions - This committee considers legislative petitions as well as matters of general public importance. The Lok Sabha committee has 15 members, while the Rajya Sabha committee has 10 members.
• The Committee on Privileges investigates and recommends appropriate action when a member of the House violates the code of conduct. It is semi-judicial in nature. It has 15 Lok Sabha members and ten Rajya Sabha members.
• The Ethics Committee investigates and takes appropriate action when a member of the House commits a violation or displays indiscipline. It was established in 1997 by the Rajya Sabha and in 2000 by the Lok Sabha.

Committee to investigate and supervise

• These committees are classified into six types, which are listed below:
• When a minister promises, assures, or takes an undertaking in the Lok Sabha, this committee investigates the extent to which those promises, assurances, and undertakings were carried out. It has 15 members in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha.
• The Subordinate Legislation Committee investigates whether the executive branch is properly exercising its rights to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, and bye-laws delegated by Parliament or bestowed by the Constitution. The committee is made up of 15 people. It was founded in 1953.
• Committee on Papers Laid on the Table - When ministers lay any paper on the table, this committee examines it for credibility and compliance with the provisions of the constitution. It has 15 members in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha.
• The Committee on the Welfare of SCs and STs has 30 members. The Lok Sabha has twenty members, while the Rajya Sabha has ten. This committee considers the National Commission for SCs and National Commission for STs reports.
• Committee on Women's Empowerment - This committee considers the National Commission on Women's report to ensure women's status, dignity, and equality in all fields.
• The Joint Committee on Profitable Offices - It investigates the composition and character of committees and other bodies appointed by the federal, state, and union territory governments and makes recommendations on whether or not a person holding these positions should be barred from running for Parliament. It is made up of 15 people ( 10 from Lok sabha 5 from Rajya sabha ).
• Committees dealing with the house's day-to-day operations
• The four types of committees are as follows:
• The Business Advisory Committee regulates the House's programme and timetable. The Lok Sabha committee has 15 members, including the speaker, who serves as chairman. The Rajya Sabha has 11 members, including the chairman who serves as an ex officio chairman.
• The Committee on Private Members' Bills and Resolutions classifies legislation and schedules debate time on private member bills and resolutions. This is a Lok Sabha special committee with 15 members, including the deputy speaker as chairman. There is no such committee in the Rajya Sabha.
• Rules Committee - If the rules of the house need to be changed, this committee makes recommendations. The Lok Sabha has 15 members, including the speaker, who serves as its ex officio chairman. It has 16 members, including the chairman, who serves as ex officio chairman.
• Committee on Members' Absence - This committee reviews all leave requests submitted by members of both houses. It is a Lok Sabha special committee made up of 15 members. The Rajya Sabha does not have such a committee.
• Housekeeping Committee
• The four types of committees are as follows:
• General Purposes Committee - This committee addresses issues that are not addressed by other legislative committees. The members of this committee are as follows:
• The presiding officer (Speaker / Chairman) serves as an ex-officio chairman.
• Deputy Speaker (Deputy Chairman in the case of Rajya Sabha)
• Members of the panel of chairpersons (panel of vice-chairpersons in the case of Rajya Sabha)
• The chairs of the departmental standing committee.
• House leaders of recognised parties and groups.
• The presiding officer nominates the other members.
• House committee - This committee oversees the services provided to members of the houses, such as housing, food, and medical assistance. There are 12 members in the Lok Sabha.
• Library committee - this committee considers all issues concerning the parliament's library. Assists members in using the library's services. It has nine members: six from the Lok Sabha and three from the Rajya Sabha.
• Joint committees on salaries and allowances of members - established in 1954 by the Salary Allowance and Pension of Members Act. It has 15 members, 10 from the Lok Sabha and 5 from the Rajya Sabha.
• Consultative committees: These are attached to various government ministries or departments.
• These committees serve as a forum for informal discussions between ministers and members about government policies and programmes, as well as the implementation process.
• The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs appoints these committees.
• The committee has a maximum of 30 members and a minimum of 10.
• These committees are entirely voluntary.

Ad hoc committees

• These committees are divided into two types: temporary and permanent.
• Inquiry commissions
• These are formed on occasion, either by two houses passing a motion or by the speaker or chairman inquiring about a report on a specific subject.
• Advisory committees are select or joint committees on bills that are appointed to consider and report on specific bills.
• They provide information on specific bills.

Recent Developments/Controversies

• It is critical to note that standing and ad hoc committees of scrutiny and recommendations have been pushed to the periphery or left in the dark in recent years.
• The government has been adamant about not referring bills to House Select Committees or Joint Parliamentary Committees.
• In 2015, The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (Second Amendment) Bill was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
• The most significant acts of Parliament in recent years, such as the repeal of Article 370, which abolished Jammu and Kashmir's special status and divided the state into two Union Territories, were not considered by any House committee.
• The three agricultural produce Bills and the three labour Bills that reformed working conditions, terms of employment, grievance redress, and social security were cases that required scrutiny by Select Committees of the Houses during the monsoon session of Parliament. The government, on the other hand, used its two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament to quickly pass the bills.