18, Parliamentary Committees

In what way does the Indian Parliament exercise control over the administration?

• Through Consultative committees of various ministries

• Through Parliamentary committee

• By making the administrators send periodic reports

• By compelling the executive to issue writs

Answer explanation

The Parliamentary controls are defined in the Constitution. The operation of controls is ensured through committees established by Parliamentary rules. These committees are Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Committee on Public Undertaking (COPU), Estimates Committee (EC), Committee on Subordinate Legislation and Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSC).

With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, bylaws etc. conferred by the Constitution of delegated by the Parliament are being properly exercised by the Executive within the scope of such delegation?

• Committee on Government Assurances

• Committee on Subordinate Legislation

• Rules Committee

• Business Advisory Committee

Answer explanation

The need for having a separate Parliamentary Committee for the subordinate legislation was felt for the first time by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, then Law Minister of India.

• For the first time the Committee on Subordinate Legislation was constituted in December, 1953.

• The most effective control that Lok Sabha exercises over subordinate legislation is through its scrutiny Committee namely “Committee on Subordinate Legislation”.

• The functions of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation are to scrutinize and report to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, subrules, bye-laws etc. conferred by the Constitution or delegated by Parliament are being properly exercised within such delegation.

• The Committee on Subordinate Legislation examine all Regulations, Rules, Sub-rules, Byelaws, etc. commonly known as ‘Orders’, whether laid on the Table of the House or not, framed in pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution or a statute delegating power to a subordinate authority, to make such Order

• The Committee shall consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, provided that a Minister shall not be nominated a member of the Committee.

• The term of office of the Committee is one year from the date of its appointment. Committee on Subordinate Legislation is constituted in the beginning of a new Lok Sabha and then reconstituted annually

Which of the following is a Parliamentary Committee relating to delegation of power to make rules and regulations to the Executive?

• Committee on Executive Legislation

• Committee on Subordinate Legislation

• Committee on Subordinate Legislation

• Committee on Delegated

• None of the above/More than one of the above

Answer explanation

The need for having a separate Parliamentary Committee for the subordinate legislation was felt for the first time by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, then Law Minister of India.

• For the first time the Committee on Subordinate Legislation was constituted in December, 1953.

• The most effective control that Lok Sabha exercises over subordinate legislation is through its scrutiny Committee namely “Committee on Subordinate Legislation”.

• The functions of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation are to scrutinize and report to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, subrules, bye-laws etc. conferred by the Constitution or delegated by Parliament are being properly exercised within such delegation.

• The Committee on Subordinate Legislation examine all Regulations, Rules, Sub-rules, Byelaws, etc. commonly known as ‘Orders’, whether laid on the Table of the House or not, framed in pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution or a statute delegating power to a subordinate authority, to make such Orders

• The Committee shall consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, provided that a Minister shall not be nominated a member of the Committee.

• The term of office of the Committee is one year from the date of its appointment. Committee on Subordinate Legislation is constituted in the beginning of a new Lok Sabha and then reconstituted annually.

Consider the following statements:

1. While members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with Committees on Public Accounts and Public Undertakings, members of Committee on Estimates are drawn entirely from Lok Sabha.

2. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs works under the overall direction of Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.

3. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs nominates Members of Parliament on Committees, Councils, Boards and Commissions etc. set up by the Government of India in the various ministries.

Which of these statements is/are correct?

• 1 and 2

• 2 and 3

• 1 and 3

• 1, 2 and 3

Answer explanation

The Committee on Public Accounts is the oldest Parliamentary committee and was first constituted in 1921. The committee consists of 22 members, 15 members are elected from Lok Sabha and 7 members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with it. The Speaker is empowered to appoint the Chairman of the Committee from amongst its members. The Committee on Public Accounts is constituted by the Parliament each year. Estimates Committee is the largest Parliamentary committee consisting of 30 members elected every year by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members to examine the Budget estimates of the Union Government. No minister shall be appointed as a member of Estimates Committee Ministry of Parliamentary affairs is entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating, planning and arranging Government business in both the Houses of Parliament. For this purpose, the ministry works under the overall direction of Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs nominates Members of Parliament on committees, councils, boards and commissions etc set up by the Government in various ministries. Therefore all the statements are correct

Consider the following statements:

1. The Chairman of the Committee on public Accounts is appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

2. The Committee on Public Accounts comprises Members of Lok Sabha, Members of Rajya Sabha and a few eminent persons of industry and trade.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• 1 only

• 2 only

• Both 1 and 2

• Neither 1 nor 2

Answer explanation

The Committee on Public Accounts is the oldest Parliamentary committee and was first constituted in 1921. The committee consists of 22 members, 15 members are elected from Lok Sabha and 7 members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with it. The Speaker is empowered to appoint the Chairman of the Committee from amongst its members. The Committee on Public Accounts is constituted by the Parliament each year. Estimates Committee is the largest Parliamentary committee consisting of 30 members elected every year by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members to examine the Budget estimates of the Union Government. No minister shall be appointed as a member of Estimates Committee.

Ministry of Parliamentary affairs is entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating, planning and arranging Government business in both the Houses of Parliament. For this purpose, the ministry works under the overall direction of Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs nominates Members of Parliament on committees, councils, boards and commissions etc set up by the Government in various ministries. Therefore all the statements are correct

Who nominates the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Indian Parliament?

• The Speaker of Lok Sabha

• The Prime Minister

• The Presiden

• The Chairman of Rajya Sabha

Answer explanation

The Committee on Public Accounts is the oldest Parliamentary committee and was first constituted in 1921. The committee consists of 22 members, 15 members are elected from Lok Sabha and 7 members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with it. The Speaker is empowered to appoint the Chairman of the Committee from amongst its members. The Committee on Public Accounts is constituted by the Parliament each year. Estimates Committee is the largest Parliamentary committee consisting of 30 members elected every year by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members to examine the Budget estimates of the Union Government. No minister shall be appointed as a member of Estimates Committee. Indian Constitution & Polity 130 YCT Ministry of Parliamentary affairs is entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating, planning and arranging Government business in both the Houses of Parliament. For this purpose, the ministry works under the overall direction of Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs nominates Members of Parliament on committees, councils, boards and commissions etc set up by the Government in various ministries. Therefore all the statements are correct

Tenure of the members of the estimate committee is-

• 2 years

• 1 years

• 3 years

• 4 years

Answer explanation

The Committee on Public Accounts is the oldest Parliamentary committee and was first constituted in 1921. The committee consists of 22 members, 15 members are elected from Lok Sabha and 7 members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with it. The Speaker is empowered to appoint the Chairman of the Committee from amongst its members. The Committee on Public Accounts is constituted by the Parliament each year. Estimates Committee is the largest Parliamentary committee consisting of 30 members elected every year by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members to examine the Budget estimates of the Union Government. No minister shall be appointed as a member of Estimates Committee. Indian Constitution & Polity 130 YCT Ministry of Parliamentary affairs is entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating, planning and arranging Government business in both the Houses of Parliament. For this purpose, the ministry works under the overall direction of Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs nominates Members of Parliament on committees, councils, boards and commissions etc set up by the Government in various ministries. Therefore all the statements are correct

Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?

• The Committee on Public Accounts

• The Committee on Public Accounts

• The Committee on Public Undertakings

• The Committee on Petitions

Answer explanation

The Committee on Estimates (30 members) is the largest committee of the Parliament. All the 30 members of this Committee are from Lok Sabha only. The Rajya Sabha has no representation in Estimates committee.

Which is the largest Committee of the Indian Parliament?

• Public Accounts Committee

• Estimates Committee

• Committee on Public Undertakings

• Committee on Petitions

Answer explanation

The Committee on Estimates (30 members) is the largest committee of the Parliament. All the 30 members of this Committee are from Lok Sabha only. The Rajya Sabha has no representation in Estimates committee

The Members of the Rajya Sabha cannot be attached to-

1. Public Accounts committee

2. Estimates committee

3. Public sector enterprise committee

Select answer from the given code:

• 1 and 2

• 3

• 2

• 1 and 3

Answer explanation

The Committee on Estimates (30 members) is the largest committee of the Parliament. All the 30 members of this Committee are from Lok Sabha only. The Rajya Sabha has no representation in Estimates committee.