GS Paper: GS2-06.Parliament and State Legislatures (structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges; issues therein)

According to LS speaker Om Birla, Parliamentary Committees are the “backbone of parliamentary democracy.

Parliamentary committees

Standing Committees – PAC, Estimate committee, Committee on public undertaking

Ad-Hoc Committees – Eg- JPC

Importance of Parliamentary Committees

Checks and Balances – Eg- PAC examined CAG’s 2G spectrum report for irregularities.

In-Depth Policy Analysis – Enable clause-by-clause scrutiny of Bills, which is not possible in open House debates. Eg- JPC on Data Protection Bill (2019) proposed over 90 amendments

Reducing Legislative Workload – Committees share Parliament’s burden, ensuring thorough scrutiny without delaying legislation.

Expert Consultation – Committees invite experts, industry, and civil society to promote evidence-based policymaking.

Budgetary Oversight – Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) analyse ministry budgets to ensure fiscal prudence.

Consensus Building – Committees promote bipartisan dialogue, e.g., IT Committee built consensus on the Personal Data Protection Bill (2019).

Public Engagement – Committees seek public and expert inputs, e.g., Standing Committee on Environment reviewed the EIA Draft Notification (2020).

Continuity in Oversight – Committees function year-round, ensuring continuous policy review beyond parliamentary sessions.

Bridging Knowledge Gaps – Committees enhance MPs’ expertise through research support and technical briefings.

Role of the Estimates Committee

Established under Rule 310 of the Lok Sabha, it has 30 Lok Sabha members and is chaired by a ruling party MP.

Examines budget estimates to ensure efficiency, economy, and effectiveness.

Suggests alternative policies for better fiscal management and administrative reform.

Monitors implementation of government schemes and performance of ministries.

Eg- Under Murli Manohar Joshi (2018), it reviewed PSU disinvestment and defence procurement, highlighting fiscal prudence.

In the words of Woodrow Wilson, “Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, while Congress in its committee rooms is Congress at work.”

According to LS speaker Om Birla, Parliamentary Committees are the “backbone of parliamentary democracy. The DRSCs, introduced in 1993, are vital to ensure continuous and informed Parliamentary control over executive.

Composition

Total 24 DRSCs- 16 under LS and 8 under RS.

31 Members – 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha

Chairperson- Appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha

Tenure- nominated annually

Role and Contribution of DRSCs

Detailed Legislative Scrutiny – examine Bills clause by clause, preventing hasty or poorly drafted laws. Eg The IT Committee (2019) proposed key revisions to the Personal Data Protection Bill.

Financial Oversight – scrutinise Demands for Grants and expenditure trends of ministries, ensuring fiscal prudence.

Policy Review and Evaluation – Assess the performance of ministries and flagship schemes, suggesting reforms for better outcomes.

Expert Consultation – Invite domain experts, civil society, and industry to facilitate evidence-based policymaking.

Non-Partisan Deliberation – Function as bipartisan forums that foster cooperation beyond party lines.

Continuous Oversight – Operate throughout the year, ensuring sustained monitoring even when Parliament is not in session.

Transparency and Accountability – Their reports promote executive accountability and strengthen parliamentary control over administration.

Knowledge Enhancement – Equip MPs with technical and subject expertise, improving legislative quality and policy insight.

Issues-

Transparency Concerns- Meetings held behind closed doors, with no published minutes.

Non-binding Recommendations allow bypassing of detailed bill scrutiny.

Limited Research Support limits committee’s ability to conduct thorough analysis and research.

Selective Referral of Bills- During the term of 17th Lok Sabha, 19% of reports by DRSCs were on subjects other than Bills and budgets.

One-year tenure provides limited time for members to specialize in specific areas, impacting scrutiny depth.

Weak attendance of MPs and handling multiple ministries burdens the committee, hindering effective scrutiny and functioning.

Way Forward-

The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2002) recommended providing dedicated research support to committees.

Establish a dedicated research cell for each DRSC, similar to the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in the US.

Mandatory Response from Government within a fixed timeline (e.g., 3 months) to DRSC recommendations.

Ensure Transparency- A “Committee Action Report” should be tabled in Parliament detailing the status of recommendations.

The DRSCs remain crucial instruments of accountability, ensuring executive discipline and informed lawmaking.

According to LS speaker Om Birla, Parliamentary Committees are the “backbone of parliamentary democracy. It is an essential mechanism of legislative oversight, promoting informed, bipartisan, and continuous accountability.

Structure of the Parliamentary Committee System

Standing Committees (Permanent in Nature)-

Department-related Standing Committees (DRSCs) – 24 in number; examine Bills, budgets, and policies of ministries.

Financial Committees – Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Estimates Committee, and Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU).

Housekeeping Committees – e.g., Business Advisory Committee, Committee on Subordinate Legislation, etc.

Ad hoc Committees (Temporary in Nature)- Constituted for specific purposes – e.g., Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the 2G Spectrum Scam (2011) and Waqf Amendment Bill.

Importance of Parliamentary Committees

Ensuring Fiscal Accountability – Committees like PAC scrutinize CAG reports, ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and lawfully.

Continuous Executive Oversight – They enable ongoing parliamentary supervision over expenditure, even when Parliament is not in session.

Strengthening Audit Mechanism – The PAC’s linkage with CAG institutionalizes the audit process, reinforcing transparency in governance.

Promoting Rational Budgeting – The Estimates Committee evaluates expenditure patterns and recommends economy and efficiency in public spending.

Enhancing PSU Accountability – The Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU) monitors performance and financial health of PSUs, promoting corporate discipline.

Institutional Continuity – These committees function annually, ensuring regular scrutiny beyond political cycles.

Evidence-Based Decision Making – Reports are based on expert testimony and data, improving quality of legislative oversight.

Non-Partisan Deliberation – Work in committees is largely bipartisan, reducing political confrontation seen in the House.

Public Transparency – Publication of reports increases citizen awareness and reinforces Parliament’s role as a watchdog of the executive.

Institutional Memory Building – The accumulated reports and recommendations create a repository of fiscal best practices for future governance.

Challenges-

Non-binding recommendations and lack of discussion on parliamentary reports

Fewer bills referred- In the 15th Lok Sabha -71%, 16th Lok Sabha -27% and in 17th Lok Sabha -16% of the bills introduced were referred to the committees.

Lack of specialised knowledge among members in financial and economic matters leads to superficial scrutiny.

Bulky CAG and budgetary reports result in inadequate time for detailed examination.

Post mortem analysis- This lowers the quality of oversight and recommendations.

Political influence often causes biased decision-making and undermines objectivity.

Lack of Public Awareness and Transparency- Committee proceedings are held behind closed doors.

Way Forward

Implement ARC & NCRWC suggestions for expert support units and public disclosure of reports.

Enhance capacity-building of MPs on financial management.

Make committee recommendations time-bound and mandatory for government response.

In the words of Woodrow Wilson, “Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, while Congress in its committee rooms is Congress at work.”