Parliamentary Committee Collaboration
Parliamentary Committees in India: A Powerful Tool for Oversight and Accountability
In the heart of India's democratic system, Parliamentary Committees play a crucial role in ensuring that the workings of the government are transparent and accountable. These groups, composed of Members of Parliament (MPs) from both houses, are formed to assist in detailed legislative work, oversight, and scrutiny that the full Parliament cannot manage due to time constraints.
The Role of Parliamentary Committees
The primary functions of these committees include examining bills and legislative proposals in detail before they are debated in the house, overseeing government expenditure and administration, scrutinizing policies and government actions to ensure accountability, summarizing findings, and making recommendations to Parliament. Some committees even have the power to summon ministers, officials, and experts for testimony and to produce documents for detailed investigation.
The Composition of Parliamentary Committees
Typically, these committees consist entirely of MPs elected or nominated from the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. There are two primary types of committees: Standing Committees, which are permanent and continue their work across sessions, and Ad hoc Committees, formed for specific tasks and dissolved after completing their function.
For instance, the Estimates Committee consists of 30 members from Lok Sabha only, with Rajya Sabha MPs not being members, and ministers cannot serve on this committee. Department-related Standing Committees (DRSCs), numbering 24 in total, have 16 under Lok Sabha and 8 under Rajya Sabha, covering all major ministries.
Committees with the Power to Summon Ministers
Some committees, such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Estimates Committee, and the DRSCs, have the power to summon ministers for detailed scrutiny. The PAC investigates government accounts and expenditure, and it has the authority to summon ministers and officials. The Estimates Committee examines budget estimates and suggests economies, and it can summon officials for evidence. The DRSCs oversee specific ministries or departments, conduct detailed examination of bills and policies, and summon ministers and officials for evidence and clarifications.
A Summary of Committees with Summoning Power
| Committee Name | Composition | Power to Summon Ministers | |----------------------------------|----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| | Public Accounts Committee (PAC) | MPs from both houses, no ministers | Yes, can summon ministers/officials | | Estimates Committee | 30 Lok Sabha MPs, no ministers | Can summon officials, not ministers | | Department-related Standing Committees (DRSCs) | Mixed from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha | Yes, have power to summon ministers and officials |
This ability to summon ministers and officials for detailed scrutiny allows Parliamentary Committees to exercise effective oversight by obtaining direct explanations and information from government representatives. Thus, Parliamentary Committees are essential instruments enabling detailed scrutiny, oversight, and accountability of government action, with a mix of compositions (Lok Sabha only or both Houses) and powers, including the capacity to summon ministers in many key committees.
- Despite Parliament's time constraints, Parliamentary Committees with the power to summon ministers, such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Estimates Committee, and the Department-related Standing Committees (DRSCs), ensure a comprehensive and detailed scrutiny of government policies and actions within the realm of policy-and-legislation, thereby contributing to the transparency and accountability of politics.
- The composition of Parliamentary Committees, which includes MPs from both houses and the ability to summon ministers for examinations, gives these committees a significant role in general-news, allowing them to delve into the intricacies of government expenditure, administration, and legislative proposals, ensuring accountability and transparency.
