Parliamentary Committees are smaller groups of Members of Parliament constituted to examine matters in greater detail than is usually possible on the floor of the House.
They help Parliament perform its functions of:
Parliamentary committees are broadly classified into:
Parliamentary business is extensive and complex.
Committees help Parliament by providing:
Thus:
Parliament → Broad debate
Committees → Detailed scrutiny
Standing Committees are:
Permanent or recurring committees
They are constituted from time to time according to the rules and parliamentary requirements.
They continue to function on a regular basis.
Important Standing Committees include:
Ad Hoc Committees are:
Temporary committees
They are created for a:
Specific purpose
Once the assigned task is completed and the committee submits its report, it generally ceases to exist.
Examples include committees constituted to examine:
The three important Financial Committees are:
These committees are important instruments of:
Parliamentary financial control
The Public Accounts Committee is commonly known as:
PAC
Its main function is to examine:
It examines whether public expenditure has been:
The Public Accounts Committee consists of:
22 members
including:
Members are elected by Parliament every year according to the applicable rules.
A Minister cannot be a member of the Public Accounts Committee.
The Chairperson is appointed by:
Speaker of Lok Sabha
By convention, the chairperson is often from the:
Opposition
However, this is:
A parliamentary convention
and not a constitutional requirement.
The Estimates Committee examines:
Estimates of expenditure
It helps Parliament examine whether public expenditure can be:
It may suggest:
The Estimates Committee consists of:
30 members
All members are from:
Lok Sabha
Rajya Sabha members are not part of the Estimates Committee.
Members are elected annually.
A Minister cannot be a member.
The Chairperson is appointed by:
Speaker of Lok Sabha
The chairperson is selected from among the committee members.
Unlike the Public Accounts Committee, there is no established convention that the chairperson must belong to the Opposition.
The Committee on Public Undertakings is commonly known as:
COPU
It examines the reports and accounts of:
Public Sector Undertakings
It also examines the reports of the:
Comptroller and Auditor General
relating to public undertakings.
The Committee on Public Undertakings consists of:
22 members
including:
Members are elected annually.
A Minister cannot be a member.
Department-related Standing Committees examine the work of:
Ministries and Departments
They provide detailed parliamentary scrutiny of:
They strengthen:
Parliamentary oversight of the executive
The Committee on Privileges examines questions relating to:
The final authority remains:
The House
This committee examines whether:
Assurances, promises and undertakings
given by Ministers on the floor of Parliament have been implemented.
It therefore helps ensure:
Government accountability
This committee examines whether:
Rules, regulations, bye-laws and other delegated legislation
made by the executive are within the authority delegated by Parliament.
It helps Parliament exercise control over:
Delegated legislation
The Business Advisory Committee helps regulate:
Parliamentary business
It recommends allocation of:
Time for government legislative and other business
It plays an important role in managing the legislative workload of the House.
The Rules Committee considers:
Matters relating to the rules of procedure and conduct of business
It may recommend amendments or additions to the rules.
The General Purposes Committee considers matters concerning:
The general functioning of the House
It deals with matters that do not fall within the jurisdiction of other parliamentary committees.
Committees allow MPs to examine government functioning in greater detail.
They can scrutinise:
Therefore:
Parliamentary Committees → Detailed Executive Scrutiny
Bills may be referred to parliamentary committees for:
Detailed examination
The committee can examine:
The committee then submits its:
Report
to the House.
Generally:
No.
Parliamentary committee reports and recommendations are generally:
Advisory
The government may accept or reject recommendations, although committees provide important parliamentary scrutiny.
Committee membership is generally determined according to:
Parliamentary rules and procedures
Members may be:
The exact method depends on the committee.
Ministers are generally excluded from membership of:
Financial Committees
and several other parliamentary committees.
The purpose is to preserve:
Independent parliamentary scrutiny
The Comptroller and Auditor General plays an important role in the work of:
Public Accounts Committee
and:
Committee on Public Undertakings
CAG reports provide an important basis for parliamentary examination of:
Public expenditure and administration.
The committee system creates a:
Division of labour
Instead of the entire House examining every issue in detail, smaller committees undertake specialised scrutiny.
This improves:
| Feature | Standing Committee | Ad Hoc Committee |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Permanent/recurring | Temporary |
| Purpose | Regular scrutiny | Specific task |
| Duration | Continues according to rules | Ends after task |
| Example | PAC | Select Committee on a Bill |
| Committee | Members | Main Function |
|---|---|---|
| Public Accounts Committee | 22 | Examines expenditure and CAG reports |
| Estimates Committee | 30 | Examines expenditure estimates |
| Committee on Public Undertakings | 22 | Examines public sector undertakings |
Focus:
Actual expenditure
Main sources:
Appropriation Accounts + CAG Reports
Focus:
Proposed expenditure estimates
Main purpose:
Economy and efficiency
Focus:
Public Sector Undertakings
Main sources:
PSU accounts + CAG reports
Not all committees are restricted to Lok Sabha.
Several committees include members from:
Both Houses
However, some committees, such as the:
Estimates Committee
consist only of:
Lok Sabha members.
A committee submits a:
Report
to Parliament.
Reports can:
They contribute to:
Parliamentary accountability
Some challenges include:
Strengthening committees can improve:
Quality of parliamentary scrutiny
Parliamentary committees are based mainly on:
Unlike some constitutional bodies, many parliamentary committees are not directly created by a specific constitutional article.
PAC:
22 members
PAC:
15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha
Estimates Committee:
30 members
Estimates Committee:
Lok Sabha only
COPU:
22 members
COPU:
15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha
Minister:
Cannot be a member of the three Financial Committees
PAC Chairperson:
Appointed by Speaker
PAC Chairperson:
Often from Opposition by convention
"Estimates Committee has members from both Houses."
False.
It consists only of:
Lok Sabha members.
"Public Accounts Committee has only Lok Sabha members."
False.
It includes:
15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha members.
"The Chairperson of PAC must constitutionally belong to the Opposition."
False.
It is:
A parliamentary convention
rather than a constitutional requirement.
"Parliamentary Committee recommendations are always binding."
False.
They are generally:
Advisory.
"All parliamentary committees are constitutional bodies."
False.
Many committees derive their authority from:
Parliamentary rules and resolutions.
"Ministers can be members of the Financial Committees."
False.
Ministers cannot be members of the three Financial Committees.
Parliamentary Committees
→ Standing Committees → Ad Hoc Committees
Financial Committees:
→ PAC → Estimates Committee → COPU
PAC:
→ 22 members → 15 LS + 7 RS → CAG reports → Actual expenditure
Estimates Committee:
→ 30 members → Lok Sabha only → Expenditure estimates → Economy and efficiency
COPU:
→ 22 members → 15 LS + 7 RS → Public Sector Undertakings
Parliamentary Committees are essential for converting Parliament from merely a forum of debate into an institution of:
Detailed scrutiny and accountability
They provide MPs with greater opportunity to examine:
However, their effectiveness depends on:
Strengthening the committee system can therefore improve:
Parliamentary oversight + Legislative quality + Executive accountability
