Parliamentary Committees

Parliamentary committees are smaller bodies of Members of Parliament that examine matters which the full Houses cannot scrutinise continuously or in sufficient detail. They secure executive accountability through specialised, cross-party examination of expenditure, administration, legislation and policy, followed by reports to Parliament.

Constitutional and parliamentary basis

Committees operate as instruments of the Houses within the constitutional scheme of responsible government. Article 75(3) makes the Council of Ministers collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, while Article 118 permits each House to regulate its procedure and conduct of business.

• Parliamentary approval of demands for grants and appropriation under Articles 113 and 114 enables committees to scrutinise how public money is sought and used.
• The Houses constitute committees and define their membership, tenure, functions and procedure through their rules and directions.

Mechanisms of executive scrutiny

Committees examine records, question officials, receive expert evidence and report findings to Parliament. Their relatively small size and less partisan working environment permit sustained scrutiny beyond debates and Question Hour.

• Department-related standing committees examine demands for grants, referred Bills, annual reports and long-term policy documents of ministries.
• The Public Accounts Committee examines appropriation and finance accounts and reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General, thereby checking whether expenditure conformed to parliamentary authority.
• The Estimates Committee suggests economies, organisational improvements and alternative policies for efficient administration.
• The Committee on Public Undertakings examines the reports, accounts and CAG reports relating to public undertakings.

Accountability effects and limitations

Committee reports expose administrative lapses, inform parliamentary debate and require ministries to respond through action-taken statements or reports. This creates a continuing chain of legislative oversight, although committee recommendations are generally advisory rather than binding.

• Cross-party membership can reduce adversarial politics and improve evidence-based scrutiny.
• Effectiveness depends on timely referrals, access to information, adequate research support and serious executive follow-up.
• Committees assist Parliament but cannot replace ministerial responsibility, voting in the Houses or judicial review.

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