WHY
PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES ?
The work done by the Parliament in modern times is not only varied in
nature, but considerable in volume. The time at its disposal is limited.
It cannot, therefore, give close consideration to all the legislative and other
matters that come up before it. A good deal of its business is, therefore,
transacted by what are called the Parliamentary Committees.
When a Bill comes up before a House for
general discussion,it is open to that House to refer it to a Select Committee
of the House or a Joint Committee of the two Houses. A motion has to be moved
and adopted to this effect in the House in which the Bill comes up for consideration.
Broadly, Parliamentary Committees are of two kinds - Standing Committees
and ad hoc Committees. The former are elected or appointed every year or
periodically and their work goes on, more or less, on a continuous basis. The
latter are appointed on an ad hoc basis as need arises and they cease to exist
as soon as they complete the task assigned to them.
Standing Committees:
Among the Standing Committees,the three Financial Committees –
1. Committees on Estimates,
2. Public Accounts
3. Public Undertaking
- They constitute a distinct group as they keep an unremitting vigil
over Government expenditure and performance.
While members of the Rajya Sabha are associated
with Committees on Public Accounts and Public Undertakings, the
members of the Committee on Estimates are drawn entirely from the Lok
Sabha.
The Estimates Committee reports on 'what economies, improvements in organisation, efficiency or
administrative reform consistent with policy underlying the estimates' may be
effected. It also examines whether the money is well laid out within limits of
the policy implied in the estimates and suggests the form in which estimates
shall be presented to Parliament.
The Public Accounts Committee scrutinises appropriation and finance accounts of Government and reports of
the Comptroller and Auditor-General. It ensures that public money is spent in
accordance with Parliament's decision and calls attention to cases of waste,
extravagance, loss or nugatory expenditure.
The Committee on Public Undertakingsexamines reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General, if any. It also examines
whether public undertakings are being run efficiently and managed in accordance
with sound business principles and prudent commercial practices.
Other than these we have about 24 standing committees to the date…!
Understanding the Standing Committee !
When was this concept of Standing Committee actually came up in Indian
Parliament ?
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Rules Committee of the Lok Sabharecommended setting-up of 17 Department Related Standing Committees
(DRSCs). Accordingly, 17 Department Related Standing Committees were set up
on 8 April 1993.
In July 2004, rules were amended to provide for the constitution of seven
more such committees, thus raising the number of DRSCs from 17 to 24.
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Main objective of a standing committee ?
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To secure more accountablility of the executive of the Parliament
,particular financial accountability.
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How many members are their in Standing Committee ? How are they elected ?
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Each standing committee consists of 31 members …consisting of 21 LokSabha
Members and 10 Rajya Sabha Members. Members frm LS are elected by the LS
Speaker and members frm the RS are elected by the RS Chairman.
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Is a minister eligible to be a part of Standing Committee ?
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No…a member if in future appointed a minister; his membership in d
committee ceases .
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Term of Office of a Standing Committee ?
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One year from the date of Constitution
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What are the limitations imposed on a Standing Committee ?
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· They shud nt consider the matters of day to
day affairs of the concerned department/ministries.
· They shud nt generally consider the matters
which are considered by the other parliamentary committee.
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What are the merits of a standing committee ?
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· No party bias
· Procedure more flexible than LS
· Parliamentary control over the executive
more effectively
· Ensures economy and efficiency in public expenditure.
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Recommendations of a standing committee are advisory and not binding on
the Parliament ....true or false ?
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True
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What are the functions of a Standing Committee ?
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The functions of these Committees are:
· to consider the Demands for Grants of
various Ministries/Departments of Government of India and make reports to the
Houses;
· to examine such Bills as are referred to the
Committee by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha or the Speaker, Lok Sabha, as the case
may be, and make reports thereon;
· to consider Annual Reports of
ministries/departments and make reports thereon; and to consider policy
documents presented to the Houses, if referred to the Committee by the
Chairman, Rajya Sabha or the Speaker, Lok Sabha, as the case may be, and make
reports thereon.
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Other Standing Committees in each House, divided in terms of their
functions, are
i. Committees to Inquire:
a. Committee on Petitions examines petitions on
bills and on matters of general public interest and also entertains representations
on matters concerning subjects in the Union List; and
- Committee
of Privileges examines any question of privilege referred to it by the
House or Speaker/Chairman;
ii. Committees to Scrutinise:
. Committee on Government Assurances keeps track
of all the assurances, promises, undertakings, etc., given by Ministers in the
House and pursues them till they are implemented;
a. Committee on Subordinate Legislation
scrutinises and reports to the House whether the power to make regulations,
rules, sub-rules, bye-laws, etc., conferred by the Constitution or Statutes is
being properly exercised by the delegated authorities; and
b. Committee on Papers Laid on the Table examines
all papers laid on the table of the House by Ministers, other than statutory
notifications and orders which come within the purview of the Committee on
Subordinate Legislation, to see whether there has been compliance with the
provisions of the Constitution, Act, rule or regulation under which the paper
has been laid;
iii. Committees relating to the day-today business
of the House:
. Business Advisory Committee recommends
allocation of time for items of Government and other business to be brought
before the Houses;
a. Committee on Private Members’ Bills and
Resolutions of the Lok Sabha classifies and allocates time to Bills introduced
by private members, recommends allocation of time for discussion on private members’
resolutions and examines Constitution amendment bills before their introduction
by private members in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha does not have such a
committee. It is the Business Advisory Committee of that House which recommends
allocation of time for discussion on stage or stages of private members’ bills
and resolutions;
b. Rules Committee considers matters of procedure
and conduct of business in the House and recommends amendments or additions to
the Rules; and
c. Committee on Absence of Members from the
Sittings of the House of the Lok Sabha considers all applications from members
for leave or absence from sittings of the House. There is no such Committee in
the Rajya Sabha. Applications from members for leave or absence are considered
by the House itself;
iv. Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes, on which members from both Houses serve, considers all matters relating
to the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes which come within the
purview of the Union Government and keeps a watch whether constitutional
safeguards in respect of these classes are properly implemented;
v. Committees concerned with the provision of
facilities to members:
. General Purposes Committee considers and
advises Speaker/Chairman on matters concerning affairs of the House, which do
not appropriately fall within the purview of any other Parliamentary Committee;
and
- House
Committee deals with residential accommodation and other amenities for
members;
vi. Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of
Members of Parliament,constituted under the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of
Parliament Act, 1954, apart from framing rules for regulating payment of
salary, allowances and pension to Members of Parliament, also frames rules in
respect of amenities like medical, housing, telephone, postal, constituency and
secretarial facility;
- Joint
Committee on Offices of Profit examines the composition and character
of committees and other bodies appointed by the Central and State
governments and Union Territories Administrations and recommends what
offices ought to or ought not to disqualify a person from being chosen as
a member of either House of Parliament;
- The
Library Committee consisting of members from both Houses,
considers matters concerning the Library of Parliament;
- On 29
April 1997, a Committee
on Empowerment of Women with members from both the Houses was
constituted with a view to securing, among other things, status, dignity
and equality for women in all fields;
x. On 4 March 1997, the Ethics Committee of the Rajya Sabha was constituted. The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha was constituted on
16 May 2000.
Current Chairman Names !
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Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committees (RS) |
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Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committees (LS) |
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Joint Committees |
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Adhoc Committees
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· the parliamentary standing
committee on personnel and public grievances had a played a major
role in bringing about reforms in UPSC !
ARTICLE OF THE DAY/ polity--Article 356
Article 356 allows the president to dismiss a state government on the advice of the governor of concerned state or on his own if he is satisfied that the administration government of the state cannot be carried out according to the provisions of the constitution. Once the elected government is dismissed the President of India shall be the head of the state executive. As in practice, the President acts according to the advice of Council of Ministers at the Centre, the administration of the state is performed according to the policies of ruling party at the Centre.
Criticism
Article 356 gave wide powers to central government to assert its authority over a state if civil unrest occurred and the state government didn't have the means to end the unrest. This is one of the articles that gave Indian constitution some amount of unitary character. Though the purpose of this article is to give more powers to central government to preserve the unity and integrity of the nation, it was often misused by the ruling parties at the Centre. It has been used as a pretext to dissolve state governments ruled by political opponents. Thus, it is seen by many as a threat to the state system. Since the adoption of Indian constitution in 1950, the central government has used this article more than a 100 times to dissolve elected state governments and impose President's rule.
The article was used for the first time during Vimochana samaram to dismiss the democratically elected Communist state government of Kerala on July 31, 1959. In 1970s and 1980s it has almost became common practice for the Central government to dismiss the state governments under opposition parties. The Indira Gandhi regime and post-emergency Janata Party were noted for this practice. It is only after the landmark case of S. R. Bommai v. Union of India did the misuse of Article 356 was curtailed. In this case, Supreme Court of India gave strict guideline for imposing President's rule.
Article 356 has always been the focal point of a wider debate of the federal structure of government in Indian polity. Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relations has recommended that Article 356 must be used "very sparingly, in extreme cases, as a measure of last resort, when all the other alternatives fail to prevent or rectify a breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state."
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