Parliamentary Committees

Introduction: Why Parliamentary Committees Exist

Let’s begin with a simple question —

Can 543 Lok Sabha members and 245 Rajya Sabha members together, sitting in one hall, effectively examine every single law, policy, and expenditure of the Government in detail?

The obvious answer is no.

The Parliament is a huge and busy institution. Its work is:

Varied (it deals with everything from education to defense),
Complex (involving technical and financial details), and
Voluminous (hundreds of bills, reports, and issues every session).

Now imagine — if every MP started discussing the smallest of details in the House itself, it would be chaos!
Therefore, just as a large company creates smaller departments to handle specific work (like HR, finance, etc.), Parliament too has created smaller bodies called committees to handle detailed work efficiently.

That’s the core idea behind Parliamentary Committees.

⚖️ Meaning of Parliamentary Committee

Now let’s see the technical meaning, because this is where UPSC may test your understanding.

A Parliamentary Committee is a group of members of Parliament (MPs) who are:

Appointed or elected by the House, or sometimes nominated by the Speaker or the Chairman (depending on whether it’s Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha).
They work under the direction of the Speaker or Chairman.
They present their report either to the House itself or directly to the Speaker/Chairman.
They have a secretariat (office and staff) provided by the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha Secretariat.

👉 If any committee does not meet these four conditions, it is not called a Parliamentary Committee.

For example, Consultative Committees — though they also have MPs — are not parliamentary committees because they do not function under the above formal structure.

🧩 Constitutional Position

Interestingly, the Constitution of India mentions these committees at a few places (like in Articles 105, 118, 266, etc.), but it does not provide detailed provisions about:

Their composition,
Their tenure, or
Their functions.

These details are decided by the Rules of Procedure of each House — i.e., the Lok Sabha Rules and the Rajya Sabha Rules.

🏛️ Classification of Parliamentary Committees

Now let’s classify them.
Broadly, there are two kinds of Parliamentary Committees:

1. Standing Committees

These are permanent in nature.
They are either constituted every year or from time to time, and they continue their work regularly.

Think of them like permanent departments in a ministry.

2. Ad Hoc Committees

These are temporary committees, created for a specific purpose, and cease to exist once their job is done.

Think of them like special task forces — they come, do their job, and dissolve.

🧱 Standing Committees – Categories and Examples

Now, Standing Committees are further divided into six categories based on the nature of their work.
Let’s understand them one by one.

1️⃣ Financial Committees

These are the most powerful and traditional committees because they ensure financial accountability of the executive — a key feature of parliamentary democracy.

They include:

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) — examines the government’s expenditure and audits as per the CAG reports.
Estimates Committee — looks at whether government spending is efficient and economical.
Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU) — evaluates the performance of public sector enterprises.

👉 These committees make sure that “No rupee of public money is wasted.”

2️⃣ Department-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs)

There are 24 such committees, each related to specific ministries or departments — e.g., Defence, Home Affairs, Finance, etc.

They examine:

Demands for grants (budget),
Bills, and
Policy performance of their departments.

These are extremely useful because they bring expertise and continuity into the law-making process.

3️⃣ Committees to Inquire

These committees investigate or inquire into specific issues.

They include:

Committee on Petitions – examines petitions from the public.
Committee of Privileges – deals with breaches of parliamentary privilege.
Ethics Committee – ensures MPs maintain proper standards of conduct.

4️⃣ Committees to Scrutinise and Control

These are like watchdogs — they keep a check on the executive’s day-to-day functioning.

Examples:

Committee on Government Assurances
Committee on Subordinate Legislation
Committee on Papers Laid on the Table
Committee on Welfare of SCs and STs
Committee on Empowerment of Women
Joint Committee on Offices of Profit

These ensure that the government follows rules, keeps promises, and remains accountable.

5️⃣ Committees on the Day-to-Day Business of the House

These committees help in the smooth functioning of the parliamentary machinery itself.

Examples:

Business Advisory Committee – decides the timetable of business.
Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions – manages private members’ business.
Rules Committee – frames rules for the House.
Committee on Absence of Members – tracks attendance of MPs.

6️⃣ House-Keeping or Service Committees

These are concerned with the comfort and convenience of MPs inside Parliament.

Examples:

General Purposes Committee
House Committee
Library Committee
Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of MPs

These may sound administrative, but they’re vital for ensuring Parliament functions smoothly.

📘 Ad Hoc Committees

Now let’s move to the second category — the Ad Hoc Committees.

As mentioned, these are temporary committees formed for a specific purpose. Once their task is done, they are dissolved.

They are of two types:

1️⃣ Inquiry Committees

Formed to investigate and report on a specific subject.
They may be created:

By either House through a motion, or
By the Speaker/Chairman directly.

Examples:

Railway Convention Committee
Committee on MPLADS
Joint Committee on Security in Parliament Complex
Committee on Food Management in Parliament House
Committee on Welfare of OBCs, etc.

These deal with special issues of national or parliamentary importance.

2️⃣ Advisory Committees

These include Select Committees and Joint Committees on Bills.

Whenever a Bill is introduced in Parliament, instead of discussing it directly, the House may decide to refer it to a committee for detailed examination.

If the committee consists of members from one House, it’s called a Select Committee.
If it includes members from both Houses, it’s called a Joint Committee.

These committees:

Examine the Bill clause by clause,
Suggest amendments, and
May even take expert opinions.

After thorough examination, they submit a report to the House.
If some members disagree, they can attach a “Minute of Dissent” — showing that differing opinions are formally recorded.

🌟 In Summary

Type	Nature	Examples	Purpose
Standing Committees	Permanent	PAC, DRSCs, Rules Committee	Regular oversight and law-making support
Ad Hoc Committees	Temporary	Select Committee, Joint Committee on Bill, Inquiry Committees	Specific purpose or bill-related work

🧠 Conceptual Takeaway (UPSC Relevance)

Core principle: Committees ensure efficiency + accountability in Parliament.
Analytical link: They uphold the principle of separation of powers by holding the executive accountable.
In Mains answers, you can quote:

“Parliamentary Committees act as the mini-Parliaments that ensure in-depth scrutiny, continuity, and bipartisan cooperation.”