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Parliamentary Committees

Financial, standing and ad hoc committees of Parliament with their composition and function for CAPF Paper I revision

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At a glance
SubjectPolity
RevisionPolityParliamentCommitteesPaper 1

Parliamentary committees do the detailed work the full House cannot. They are broadly financial committees, departmentally related standing committees, and ad hoc committees. Cover the right columns and recall composition and function. See parliament.

The three financial committees

Committee Members Key features
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) 22 (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha) Examines the audit reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General; a minister cannot be a member; chairman by convention from the Opposition since 1967
Estimates Committee 30 (all from Lok Sabha) Examines the estimates in the Budget and suggests economies; called the "continuous economy committee"; no Rajya Sabha members
Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU) 22 (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha) Examines the reports and accounts of public-sector undertakings

Members of all three are elected by proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote; term one year.

Feature Detail
Number 24 standing committees
Members each 31 (21 Lok Sabha + 10 Rajya Sabha)
Origin First set up in 1993
Function Scrutinise demands for grants of ministries, examine bills referred to them, consider annual reports

Important ad hoc and other committees

Committee Function
Business Advisory Committee Allocates time for items of business
Committee on Privileges Examines breaches of privilege of the House
Rules Committee Considers matters of procedure
Committee on Government Assurances Checks whether ministers' promises are fulfilled
Committee on Subordinate Legislation Examines whether delegated power is properly used
Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Ad hoc; set up to probe specific matters (for example financial irregularities)

Quick facts

  • The Speaker of the Lok Sabha appoints the chairpersons of most committees of the House.
  • The PAC, Estimates Committee and COPU are the three financial committees.
  • The Estimates Committee has no Rajya Sabha members; the other two financial committees do.
  • The Public Accounts Committee works on post-spending audit, the Estimates Committee on the proposed estimates.

Cross-references

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