Indian Polity by Laxmikant - Parliamentary Committees

                                                        Parliamentary Committees

·         This committee system has been borrowed from U.K but most effective committee system is in USA.

·         Parliamentary committees are certain members drawn from the parliament; to exercise continues control over public admin. When the parliament is not in session.

·         Constitution does not mention any specific provision regarding parliamentary committee. However Art – 88, Art – 105, mention parliamentary committee situationally.

·         Parliamentary committees are only situationally mentioned, in const., but nothing is mentioned about structure, function, composition.

·         Hence, their structure & functions are determined by the law made by the parliament.

·         There are 2 types of Parliamentary committee. Ad-hoc committee, standing committee.

i) Ad-hoc committee: A committee constituted for a specific purpose & they cease to exist, when they finish the task assigned to them.

ii) Standing committee: They are a kind of permanent committee which continues to exist with change in the members. Standing committee is of 2 types. Ordinary committees, financial committees.

·         These 2 committees may be house / joint committees.

Features of parliamentary committees: (Financial committee)

·         The members in these committees are elected by the houses according to proportional representation. (Basic of party’s strength).

·         They are elected for a team of 1 yr only; but generally continue for 2 yrs.

·         Ministers should not be members of financial comm.

·         Chairman of these comm. are appointed by L.S Speaker.

·         Quorum of this comm. is 1/3.

àThere are 3 financial comm. they are:

                a)      Public accounts committees (PAC)

                b)      Estimates committees

                c)      Committee on public undertakings

a) PAC:

·         Most power financial comm... & oldest Parliament comm. Of Parliament Est. in 1921. It was a house committee in beginning but joint committee now.

·         PAC consists of 22 members (15 – LS, 7 – RS)

·         A convection which is followed from 1967 onwards is the chairman of this committee is taken from opposition party.

Functions of PAC:

·         The committee examines verifies how the money shown in the accounts has been disbursed & verifies the expenditure if it confirms to the authority, which governs it.

·         It also examines the reports given by ‘CAG’.

b) Estimates comm..:

·         Est. in 1950, on the recomm. Of John mathai the then (F.M)

·         It is an exclusive committee of Lok Sabha having 30members.

·         Chairman of this committee is appointed by speaker.

Function:

·         It verifies the economics, improvement, efficiency in the organization & checks whether particular estimate is consistent with policy underlined estimates.

·         It suggests alternative policies in order to bring about economy in the admin. & also efficiency.

·         It also suggests the form in which estimates shall be presented to the parliament.

·         PAC, Estimates committees are called ‘Twin Sisters’ comm.. Moreover, Estimates comm. is called ‘Continuous Economics comm...’

c) Committee on public undertakings:

·         Est. in 1964, with the recomm. Of Krishna menon comm.. It is a joint committee. (15 LS, 7RS).

Functions:

·         This comm.. Examines the reports & accounts of public undertakings of GOI.

·         It also examines the extent of autonomy, efficiency in the public undertakings.

Ordinary committees:

·         They are generally house, but some are joint. The joint ordinary committees are:

1. Committee of SC, ST: Total 30 members (20 LS, 10 RS)

àAll ordinary committees have members nominated by the presiding officers.

·         The chairperson of joint is appointed by speaker. The chairperson of ordinary house comm. is appointed by presiding officer.

·         All the junctions of the SC, ST people are undertaken by this.

2. Committee on women empowerment:

·         Est. in 1997, consisting 30 members (20 LS, 10 RS).

·         It examines the reports given by National committee on women.

3. Committee on the office of profit:

·         Est. 1992 consisting of 15 members (10 LS, 5 RS)

House specific:

1. Business Advisory comm.:

·         Both for L.S, R.S separately

·         15 in LS and 11 members in RS.

2. Committee on petitions:

·         LS – 15 members, RS – 10 members.

·         This committee is known as ombudsman committee [ombudsman (vigilance)]

3. Committee on privileges of members:

·         LS – 15, RS – 10

·         This has certain quasi judicial functions.

4. Committee on Govt. assurances: LS – 15, RS – 10.

5. Committee on pvt. Member bill: Exclusive of LS having 15 members, Dy. Speaker is chairman.

6. Ethics committee:

·         Constituted in RS – 1997, LS – 2000.

·         Membership varies from time to time.

7. Dept. standing committees:

·         In 1993, 17 dept. committees have been constitutes the no. has been increased to 24 in 2004.

·         Every comm.. has 31 members (20 LS, 11RS)

·         These committees deal all dept. separately for any dept.

LOK SABHA	RAJYA SABHA
People’s house elected directly & dissolved V 5 yrs.	Rajya Sabha is a permanent house, representing states, which cannot be dissolved.
Lok Sabha has exclusive powers on money bill; no confidence motion, motion of confidence and adjournment motion.	For removal of V.P, the motion shall be initiated only in RS.
Lok Sabha can approve a resolution with simple majority for revoking national emergency.	By Art – 249, R.S can initiate a resolution for transferring of subject matters in state list to central list.
It is speaker of L.S who presides over the joint session of parliament, in case of deadlock between both the houses.	According to Art – 312, if RS approves resolution with special majority for creation of 1 or more all India services.
Budget is presented only in LS and LS verdict is final as budget is money bill.	RS approves National emergency in case LS stands dissolved, during such time.
All important policy matters are generally announced in L.S, since PM usually hails from LS.	RS provides continuity to the legislation, because of its permanent feature.
LS have more political significance because Govt. is finally accountable to LS only.	Moreover, RS is an elder’s house & is said to be an embodiment of rich experience and expertise.

·         Arithmetically LS is powerful. 

·         Except the above relative differences, in all aspects LS and Rs are equal.