Committees to Inquire and Committees to Scrutinize and Control
Q. Which of the following are true regarding the composition of Departmental Standing Committees?
1) Ethics Committee falls under Committees to Scrutinize and Control category.
2) Committee on Government Assurances has 15 members in Lok Sabha and 10 in Rajya Sabha.
3) Committee of Privileges comes under Committees to Inquire category.- Published on 03 Mar 17a. 1, 2
b. 1, 3
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
ANSWER: 2, 3
Committees to Inquire - It includes the following -
- Committee on Petitions - examines petitions on bills and on matters of general public importance.
- It also entertains representations from individuals and associations on matters pertaining to Union subjects.
- The Lok Sabha committee consists of 15 members, while the Rajya Sabha committee consists of 10 members.
- Committee of Privileges - examines the cases of breach of privileges of the House and its members and recommends appropriate action.
- The functions of this committee are semi-judicial in nature.
- The Lok Sabha committee has 15 members, while the Rajya Sabha committee has 10 members.
- Ethics Committee - examines the cases of misconduct and recommends appropriate action.
- This committee was constituted in Rajya Sabha in 1997 and in Lok Sabha in 2000.
- It enforces the code of conduct of members of Parliament and discipline and decorum.
Committees to Scrutinize and Control - It includes the following -
- Committee on Government Assurances - examines the assurances, promises and undertakings given by ministers from time-to-time on the floor of the House.
- It reports on the extent to which they have been carried through.
- In Lok Sabha, it consists of 15 members and in the Rajya Sabha, it has 10 members.
- It was constituted in 1953.
- Committee on Subordinate Legislation - examines and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules,sub-rules and bye-laws delegated by the Parliament or conferred by the Constitution to the Executive are being properly exercised by it.
- In both the Houses, the committee consists of 15 members.
- It was constituted in 1953.
- Committee on Papers Laid on the Table - examines all papers laid on the table of the House by ministers to see whether they comply with provisions of the Constitution, or the related Act or Rule.
- It does not examine statutory notifications and orders that fall under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation.
- This committee was constituted in 1975.
- The Lok Sabha Committee has 15 members, while the RajyaSabha Committee has 10 members.
- Committee on Welfare of SCs and STs - consists of 30 members (20 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha).
Its functions are -
1. to consider the reports of National Commission for SCs and National Commission for STs;
2. to examine all matters relating to the welfare of SCs and STs.
- Committee on Empowerment of Women - considers the reports of National Commission for Women and examines the measures taken by the Union Government to secure status, dignity and equality for women in all fields.
- This committee was constituted in 1997 and consists of 30 members (20 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha).
- Joint Committee on Offices of Profit - examines the composition and character of committees and other bodies appointed by the Central, state and union territory governments and recommends whether persons holding these offices should be disqualified from being elected as members of Parliament or not.
- It consists of 15members (10 from Lok Sabha and 5 from Rajya Sabha).
