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. Through specialised, cross-party examination of legislation, expenditure, administration and policy, they strengthen legislative scrutiny and executive accountability before reporting to Parliament.

Constitutional and parliamentary basis

Committees function 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 scrutiny of how public money is sought and used.
• The Houses constitute committees and determine their membership, tenure, functions and procedure through parliamentary rules and directions.

Why detailed legislative scrutiny requires committees

Limited floor time and the technical complexity of Bills make committee examination essential. Department-related standing committees examine Bills referred by the presiding officers, while a House may constitute a Select Committee or a Joint Committee for a particular Bill.

• Committees can examine a Bill clause by clause, study its policy and administrative implications, question officials and receive expert or stakeholder evidence.
• Their smaller size and relatively less partisan setting permit sustained, evidence-based deliberation that is difficult during full-House debate.
• Committee reports identify defects and suggest changes, thereby informing debate and possible amendments, but their recommendations are generally advisory rather than binding.

Wider executive and financial accountability

Committees also examine records, question officials and report administrative or financial lapses to Parliament, extending scrutiny beyond debates and Question Hour.

• Department-related standing committees examine demands for grants, 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.
• 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.
• Action-taken reports sustain follow-up, but effectiveness depends on timely referrals, access to information, research support and executive responsiveness. Committees cannot replace voting by the Houses, ministerial responsibility or judicial review.