Parliamentary Committees & Forums - Questions and Answers

ANSWER: 1, 2, 3

Explanation:

• The functions of the Parliament are varied, complex and voluminous.


• It has neither the adequate time nor necessary expertise to make a detailed scrutiny of all legislative measures and other matters.


• Hence, it is assisted by a number of committees in the discharge of its duties.


• The Constitution of India mentions these committees, but without any specific provisions regarding their composition, tenure, functions etc.


• All these matters are dealt by the rules of two Houses.

Accordingly, a parliamentary committee means a committee that -

(a) Is appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker/Chairman 1.

(b) Works under the direction of the Speaker/Chairman.

(c) Presents its report to the House or to the Speaker/Chairman.

(d) Has a secretariat provided by the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha.


• The consultative committees, which also consist of members of Parliament, are not parliamentary committees as they do not fulfill above four conditions.


• A Minister is not eligible for election or nomination to the Financial Committees, Departmental Standing Committees, Committees on Empowerment of Women, Government Assurances, Petitions, Subordinate Legislation and Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.


• Broadly, Parliamentary Committees are of 2 types - Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees.


• Standing Committees are permanent (constituted every year or periodically) and work on a continuous basis.


• Ad hoc Committees are temporary and cease to exist on completion of the task assigned to them.

Standing Committees - On basis of the nature of functions, standing committees can be classified into six categories -

1. Financial Committees -

(a) Public Accounts Committee.

(b) Estimates Committee.

(c) Committee on Public Undertakings.

2. Departmental Standing Committees (24 in number).

3. Committees to Inquire -

(a) Committee on Petitions.

(b) Committee of Privileges.

(c) Ethics Committee.

4. Committees to Scrutinize and Control-

(a) Committee on Government Assurances.

(b) Committee on Subordinate Legislation.

(c) Committee on Papers Laid on the Table.

(d) Committee on Welfare of SCs and Sts.

(e) Committee on Empowerment of Women.

(f) Joint Committee on Offices of Profit.

5. Committees Relating to the Day-to-Day Business of the House -

(a) Business Advisory Committee.

(b) Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions.

(c) Rules Committee.

(d) Committee on Absence of Members from Sittings of the House.

6. House-Keeping Committees or Service Committees (i.e., Committees concerned with the Provision of Facilities and Services to Members) -

(a) General Purposes Committee.

(b) House Committee.

(c) Library Committee.

(d) Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:

• Ad hoc committees can be divided into 2 categories - Inquiry Committees and Advisory Committees.


• Inquiry Committees - are constituted from time to time, either by the two Houses on a motion adopted in that behalf, or by the Speaker/Chairman, to inquire into and report on specific subjects.

Some examples are -

1. Committee on the Conduct of Certain Members during President’s Address.

2. Committee on Draft Five-Year Plan.

3. Railway Convention Committee.

4. Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

5. Joint Committee on Bofors Contract.

6. Joint Committee on Fertilizer Pricing.

7. Joint Committee to Enquire into Irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions.

8. Joint Committee on Stock Market Scam.

9. Joint Committee on Security in Parliament Complex.

10. Committee on Provision of Computers to Members of Parliament, Offices of Political Parties and Officers of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

11. Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex.

12. Committee on Installation of Portraits/Statues of National Leaders and Parliamentarians in Parliament House Complex.

13. Joint Committee on Maintenance of Heritage Character and Development of Parliament House Complex.

14. Committee on Violation of Protocol Norms and Contemptuous Behavior of Government Officers with Members of Lok Sabha.

15. Joint Committee to Examine Matters Relating to Allocation and Pricing of Telecom Licenses and Spectrum.


• Advisory Committees - include select or joint committees on bills, which are appointed to consider and report on particular bills.


• These committees are distinguishable from the other ad hoc committees in as much as they are concerned with bills and the procedure to be followed by them is laid down in the Rules of Procedure and the Directions by the Speaker/Chairman.


• 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 to this effect has to be moved and adopted in the House in which the Bill comes up for consideration.


• In case the motion adopted is for reference of the Bill to a Joint Committee, the decision is conveyed to the other House,requesting the members to nominate members of the other House to serve on the Committee.


• The Select or Joint Committee considers the Bill clause by clause just as the two Houses do.


• Amendments to various clauses can be moved by members of the Committee.


• The Committee can also take evidence of associations, public bodies or experts who are interested in the Bill.


• After the Bill has thus been considered, the Committee submits its report to the House.


• Members who do not agree with the majority report may append their minutes of dissent to the report.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Consultative committees are attached to various ministries/departments of the Central Government.


• They consist of members of both the Houses of Parliament.


• The Minister/Minister of State in charge of the Ministry concerned acts as the chairman of the consultative committee of that ministry.


• These committees provide a forum for informal discussions between the ministers and the members of Parliament on policies and programmes of the government and the manner of their implementation.


• These committees are constituted by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.


• The guidelines regarding the composition, functions and procedures of these committees are formulated by this Ministry.


• The Ministry also makes arrangements for holding their meetings both during the session and the intersession period of Parliament.


• The membership of these committees is voluntary and is left to the choice of the members and the leaders of their parties.


• The maximum membership of a committee is 30 and the minimum is 10.


• These committees are normally constituted after the new Lok Sabha is constituted, after General Elections for the Lok Sabha.


• Thus, these committees shall stand dissolved upon dissolution of every Lok Sabha and shall be reconstituted upon constitution of each Lok Sabha.


• Also, separate Informal Consultative Committees of the members of Parliament are also constituted for all the Railway Zones.


• Members of Parliament belonging to the area falling under a particular Railway Zone are nominated on the Informal Consultative Committee of that Railway Zone.


• Unlike the Consultative Committees attached to various ministries/departments, the meetings of the Informal Consultative Committees are to be arranged during the session periods only.

ANSWER: 2, 3, 4, 5

Explanation:

• Public Accounts Committee was set up first in 1921 under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1919and has since been in existence.


• At present, it consists of 22 members (15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha).


• The members are elected by the Parliament every year from amongst its members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.


• Thus, all parties get due representation in it. The term of office of members is one year.


• A minister cannot be elected as a member of the committee.


• The chairman of the committee is appointed from amongst its members by the Speaker.


• Until 1966-67, the chairman of the committee belonged to the ruling party.


• However, since 1967 a convention has developed whereby the chairman of the committee is selected from the Opposition.


• The function of the committee is to examine the annual audit reports of the CAG, which are laid before the Parliament by the President.


• The CAG submits three audit reports to the President, namely, audit report on appropriation accounts, audit report on finance accounts and audit report on public undertakings.


• The committee examines public expenditure not only from legal and formal point of view to discover technical irregularities but also from the point of view of economy, prudence and propriety to bring out the cases of waste, loss, corruption, extravagance, inefficiency and nugatory expenses.

Functions -

1. To examine the appropriation accounts and the finance accounts of the Union government and any other accounts laid before the Lok Sabha.

2. The appropriation accounts compare the actual expenditure with the expenditure sanctioned by the Parliament through the Appropriation Act,while the finance accounts show the annual receipts and disbursements of the Union Government.

3. In scrutinizing the appropriation accounts and the audit report of CAG on it, the committee has to satisfy itself that -

(a) the money that has been disbursed was legally available for the applied service or purpose;

(b) the expenditure conforms to the authority that governs it; and

(c) every re-appropriation has been made in accordance with the related rules.

4. To examine the accounts of state corporations, trading concerns and manufacturing projects and the audit report of CAG on them (except public undertakings).

5. To examine the accounts of autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, the audit of which is conducted by the CAG.

6. To consider the report of the CAG relating to the audit of any receipt or to examine the accounts of stores and stocks.

7. To examine the money spent on any service during a financial year in excess of the amount granted by the Lok Sabha for that purpose.


• In the fulfillment of the above functions, the committee is assisted by the CAG.

Effectiveness of the committee is limited by -

1. It is not concerned with the questions of policy in broader sense.

2. It conducts a post-mortem examination of accounts (showing the expenditure already incurred).

3. It cannot intervene in the matters of day-to-day administration.

4. Its recommendations are advisory and not binding on the ministries.

5. It is not vested with the power of disallowance of expenditures by the departments.

6. It is not an executive body and hence, cannot issue an order. Only the Parliament can take a final decision on its findings.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• The origin of this committee can be traced to the standing financial committee set up in 1921.


• The first Estimates Committee in the post-independence era was constituted in 1950 on the recommendation of John Mathai, the then finance minister.


• Originally, it had 25 members but in 1956 its membership was raised to 30.


• All the 30 members are from Lok Sabha only.


• The Rajya Sabha has no representation in this committee.


• These members are elected by the Lok Sabha every year from amongst its own members, according to the principles of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote.


• Thus, all parties get due representation in it.


• The term of office is one year.


• A minister cannot be elected as a member of the committee.


• The chairman of the committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst its members and he is invariably from the ruling party.


• The function of the committee is to examine the estimates included in the budget and suggest ‘economies’ in public expenditure.


• Hence, it has been described as a ‘continuous economy committee’.

Functions -

1. To report what economies, improvements in organisation, efficiency and administrative reform consistent with the policy underlying the estimates, can be affected.

2. To suggest alternative policies in order to bring about efficiency and economy in administration.

3. To examine whether the money is well laid out within the limits of the policy implied in the estimates.

4. To suggest the forth in which the estimates are to be presented to Parliament.


• The Committee shall not exercise its functions in relation to such public undertakings as are allotted to the Committee on Public Undertakings.


• The Committee may continue the examination of the estimates from time to time, throughout the financial year and report to the House as its examination proceeds.


• It shall not be incumbent on the Committee to examine the entire estimates of any one year.


• The demands for grants may be finally voted despite the fact that the Committee has made no report.

Effectiveness of the committee is limited by -

1. It examines the budget estimates only alter they have been voted by the Parliament, and not before that.

2. It cannot question the policy laid down by the Parliament.

3. Its recommendations are advisory and not binding on the ministries.

4. It examines every year only certain selected ministries and departments. Thus, by rotation, it would cover all of them over a number of years.

5. It lacks the expert assistance of the CAG which is available to the Public Accounts Committee.

6. Its work is in the nature of a post-mortem.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• This committee was created in 1964 on the recommendation of the Krishna Menon Committee.


• Originally, it had 15 members (10 from the Lok Sabha and 5 from the Rajya Sabha).


• In1974, its membership was raised to 22 (15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha).


• The members of this committee are elected by the Parliament every year from amongst its own members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote.


• Thus,all parties get due representation in it.


• The term of office of the members is one year.


• A minister cannot be elected as a member of the committee.


• The chairman of the committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst its members who are drawn from the Lok Sabha only.


• Thus, the members of the committee who are from the Rajya Sabha cannot be appointed as the chairman.

Functions -

1. To examine the reports and accounts of public undertakings.

2. To examine the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General on public undertakings.

3. To examine (in the context of autonomy and efficiency of public undertakings) whether the affairs of the public undertakings are being managed in accordance with sound business principles and prudent commercial practices.

4. To exercise such other functions vested in the public accounts committee and the Estimates Committee in relation to public undertakings which are allotted to it by the Speaker from time-to-time.

The committee cannot examine and investigate -

1. Matters of major government policy as distinct from business or commercial functions of the public undertakings.

2. Matters of day-to-day administration.

3. Matters for the consideration of which machinery is established by any special statute under which a particular public undertaking is established.

Effectiveness of the committee is limited by -

1. It cannot take up the examination of more than ten to twelve public undertakings in a year.

2. Its work is in the nature of a post-mortem.

3. It does not look into technical matters as its members are not technical experts.

4. Its recommendations are advisory and not binding on the ministries.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• On the recommendation of the Rules Committee of the Lok Sabha, 17 Departmentally-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) were set up in the Parliament in 1993.


• In 2004, number was increased from 17 to 24.


• The main objective of the standing committees is to secure more accountability of the Executive (i.e., the Council of Ministers) to the Parliament, particularly financial accountability.


• They also assist the Parliament in debating the budget more effectively.


• The 24 standing committees cover under their jurisdiction all the ministries/departments of the Central Government.


• In 1989, three Standing Committees were constituted which dealt with Agriculture, Science and Technology and Environment and Forests.


• In 1993, they were superseded by the Departmentally-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs).


• Each standing committee consists of 31 members (21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha).


• The members of the Lok Sabha are nominated by the Speaker from amongst its own members, just as the members of the Rajya Sabha are nominated by the Chairman from amongst its members.


• A minister is not eligible to be nominated as a member of any of the standing committees.


• In case a member, after his nomination to any of the standing committees, is appointed a minister, he then ceases to be a member of the committee.


• The term of office of each standing committee is one year from the date of its constitution.


• Out of the 24 standing committees, 8 work under the Rajya Sabha and 16 under the Lok Sabha.

Functions -

1. To consider the demands for grants of the concerned ministries/departments before they are discussed and voted in the Lok Sabha. Its report should not suggest anything of the nature of cut motions.

2. To examine bills pertaining to the concerned ministries/departments.

3. To consider annual reports of ministries/departments.

4. To consider national basic long-term policy documents presented to the Houses.

Limitations on the functioning of standing committees are -

1. They should not consider the matters of day-to-day administration of the concerned ministries/departments.

2. They should not generally consider the matters which are considered by other parliamentary committees.

3. It should be noted here that the recommendations of these committees are advisory in nature and hence not binding on the Parliament.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

The procedure followed by standing committees in their consideration of the demands for grants, and making a report to the Houses is as follows -

1. After general discussion on the budget in the Houses is over, the Houses shall be adjourned for a fixed period.

2. The committees shall consider the demands for grants of the concerned ministries during the aforesaid period.

3. The committees shall make their report within the period and shall not ask for more time.

4. The demands for grants shall be considered by the House in the light of the reports of the committees.

5. There shall be a separate report on the demands for grants of each ministry.

The following procedure followed in examining the bills and making report thereon is -

1. The committee shall consider the general principles and clauses of bills referred to it.

2. The Committee shall consider only such bills as introduced in either of the Houses and referred to it.

3. The Committee shall make report on bills in a given time.

Merits of the standing committee system -

1. Their proceedings are devoid of any party bias.

2. The procedure adopted by them is more flexible than in the Lok Sabha.

3. The system makes parliamentary control over executive much more detailed, close,continuous, in-depth and comprehensive.

4. The system ensures economy and efficiency in public expenditure as the ministries/departments would now be more careful in formulating their demands.

5. They facilitate opportunities to all the members of Parliament to participate and understand the functioning of the government and contribute to it.

6. They can avail of expert opinion or public opinion to make the reports.

7. They are authorized to invite experts and eminent persons to testify before them and incorporate their opinions in their reports.

8. The opposition parties and the Rajya Sabha can now play a greater role in exercising financial control over the executive.

ANSWER: 2, 3

Explanation:

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).

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:

Committees Relating to the Day-to-Day Business of the House - It includes the following.


• Business Advisory Committee - regulates the programme and time table of the House.


• It allocates time for the transaction of legislative and other business.


• The Lok Sabha committee consists of 15 members including the Speaker as its chairman.


• In the Rajya Sabha, ithas 11 members including the Chairman as its ex-officio chairman.


• Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions - classifies bills and allocates time for the discussion on bills and resolutions introduced by private members (other than ministers).


• This is a special committee of the Lok Sabha and consists of 15 members including the Deputy Speaker as its chairman.


• The Rajya Sabha does not have any such committee.


• The same function in the Rajya Sabha is performed by the Business Advisory Committee of that House.


• Rules Committee - considers the matters of procedure and conduct of business in the House and recommends necessary amendments or additions to the rules of the House.


• The Lok Sabha committee has 15 members including the Speaker as its ex-officio chairman.


• In the Rajya Sabha, it has 16 members including the Chairman as its ex-officio chairman.


• Committee on Absence of Members - considers all applications from members for leave of absence from the sittings of the House, and examines the cases of members who have been absent for a period of 60 days or more without permission.


• It is a special committee of the Lok Sabha and consists of 15 members.


• There is no such committee in the Rajya Sabha and all such matters are dealt by the House itself.

House-Keeping Committees - It includes the following -


• General Purposes Committee - considers and advises on matters concerning affairs of the House, which do not fall within the jurisdiction of any other parliamentary committee.


• In each House, this committee consists of the presiding officer (Speaker / Chairman) as its ex-officio chairman, Deputy Speaker (Deputy Chairman in the case of Rajya Sabha), members of panel of chairpersons (panel of Vice-Chairpersonsin the case of Rajya Sabha), chairpersons of all the departmental standing committees of the House,leaders of recognized parties and groups in the House and such other members as nominated by the presiding officer.


• House Committee - deals with residential accommodation of members and other amenities like food,medical aid etc., accorded to them in their houses and hostels in Delhi.


• Both the Houses have their respective House Committees.


• In the Lok Sabha, it consists of 12 members.


• Library Committee - considers all matters relating to library of the Parliament and assists the members in utilizing the library’s services.


• It consists of nine members (6 from Lok Sabha and 3 from Rajya Sabha).


• Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members - frames rules for regulating payment of salary, allowances and pension to members of Parliament.


• It was constituted under the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954.


• It consists of 15 members (10 from Lok Sabha and 5 from Rajya Sabha).

ANSWER: 2005

Explanation:

• The first Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation and Management was constituted in the year 2005.

Currently, there are six of them -

1. Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation and Management (2005) - To identify problems relating to water and make suggestions/recommendations for consideration and appropriate action by Government/organizations concerned.

2. Parliamentary Forum on Youth (2006) - To have focused deliberations on strategies to leverage human capital in the youth for accelerating development initiatives.

3. Parliamentary Forum on Children (2006) - To further enhance awareness and attention of Parliamentarians towards critical issues affecting children’s wellbeing so that they may provide due leadership to ensure their rightful place in the development process.

4. Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health (2006) - To have focused deliberations on strategies relating to population stabilization and matters connected therewith.

5. Parliamentary Forum on Global Warming and Climate Change (2008) - To identify problems relating to global warming and climate change and make suggestions/recommendations for consideration and appropriate action by the government/organizations concerned to reduce the extent of global warming.

6. Parliamentary Forum on Disaster Management (2011) - To identify and discuss the problems relating to disaster management.

The Speaker also constituted four sub-forums of the Parliamentary Forum on Youth, viz, -

(a) sub-Forum on Sports and Youth Development;

(b) sub-Forum on Health;

(c) sub-Forum on Education; and

(d) sub-Forum on Employment.


• Each sub-Forum has its own convener.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• The Speaker of Lok Sabha is the President of all the Forums except the Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health.


• In it the Chairman of Rajya Sabha is the President and the Speaker is the Co-President.


• The Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, the concerned Ministers and the Chairmen of Departmentally-Related Standing Committees are the ex-officio Vice-Presidents of the respective Forums.


• Each Forum consists of not more than 31 members (excluding the President and ex-officio Vice-Presidents) out of whom not more than 21 are from the Lok Sabha and not more than 10 are from the Rajya Sabha.


• Members (other than the President and Vice-Presidents) of these forums are nominated by the Speaker/Chairman from amongst the leaders of various political parties/groups or their nominees, who have special knowledge/keen interest in the subject.


• The duration of the office of members of the forum is co-terminus with their membership in the respective Houses.


• A member may also resign from the forum by writing to the Speaker/Chairman.


• The President of the forum appoints a member-convener for each forum to conduct regular, approved programs/meetings of the forum in consultation with the President.


• The meetings of the forums are held from time to time, as may be necessary, during Parliament sessions.


• The Secretary-General of Lok Sabha is the Secretary to the forums.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

The objectives are -


• To provide a platform to the members to have interactions with the ministers concerned, experts and key officials from the nodal ministries with a view to have a focused and meaningful discussion on critical issues with a result-oriented approach for speeding up the implementation process.


• To sensitize members about the key areas of concern and also about the ground level situation and equip them with the latest information, knowledge, technical know-how and valuable inputs from experts both from the country and abroad for enabling them to raise these issues effectively on the Floor of the House and in the meetings of the Departmentally-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs).


• To prepare a data-base through collection of data on critical issues from ministries concerned, reliable NGOs, newspapers, United Nations, Internet, etc. and circulation thereof to the members so that they can meaningfully participate in the discussions of the forums and seek clarifications from experts or officials from the Ministry present in the meetings.


• It has been mandated that the Parliamentary Forums will not interfere with or encroach upon the jurisdiction of the Departmentally-Related Standing Committees of the Ministry/Department concerned.