Can PAC summon the PM?
Q. Which of the following is/are true regarding Public Accounts Committee (PAC)?
1) PAC has the powers to summon Prime Minister or any other Minister with regard to any issue before it.
2) PAC was set up first under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1909.- Published on 16 Jan 17a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2
- Ministers shall not be called before the Committee either to give evidence or consultation in connection with the examination of estimates of accounts.
- However, [the] chairperson, when [it is] considered necessary but after its [committee’s] deliberations are concluded, may have an informal interaction with the Minister.
- The issue came up in a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, where chairperson and former Union Minister K.V. Thomas had declared that the PAC was within its rights to summon Mr. Modi as the committee was examining monetary policy and the issue of demonetisation.
- Public Accounts Committee was set up first in 1921 under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1919 and has since been in existence.
- At present, it consists of 22 members (15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha).
