GS Paper II

News Excerpt: 

The process to reconstitute Parliamentary panels was set rolling with the Parliamentary Affairs Minister moving two motions to set up the Public Accounts and Estimates committees.

What are Parliamentary Committees?

Parliamentary Committee means a committee which is appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker and which works under the direction of the Speaker and presents its report to the House or to the Speaker and the Secretariat. 

Parliamentary committees are of two kinds-Standing Committees and Ad-hoc Committees. The former are permanent i.e constituted every year or periodically and work on a continuous basis, while the latter are temporary and cease to exist on completion of the task assigned to them.

Significance of the Parliamentary Committees:

• They are a vibrant link between the Parliament, the Executive and the general public to check on the government and its actions.
• It aids and assists the Legislature in discharging its duties and regulating its functions effectively, expeditiously and efficiently. 
• It ensures easy and timely disposal of Legislative complicated responsibilities.
• It helps in ensuring a vigilant Legislature vigilance to look over the actions of the Executive 
• Choosing experts in the committees ensures democracy.

Challenges associated with the committees: 

• Weakening of Parliamentary Oversight: In a parliamentary democracy, the principle of checks and balances is pivotal. Parliamentary committees are instrumental in scrutinizing legislation, ensuring transparency, and holding the government accountable. Bypassing these committees undermines their oversight role, potentially weakening democratic processes.
• Emphasis on Brute Majority: The Indian legislative framework allows discretion to the Chair (Speaker in Lok Sabha, Chairperson in Rajya Sabha) on whether bills should be referred to committees. This discretion becomes problematic in a scenario where the ruling party holds a significant majority. It risks sidelining meaningful debate and scrutiny, concentrating power disproportionately.

Way forward:

• Mandatory Committee Review: Drawing from practices in countries like Sweden, Finland, and Australia, where bills routinely undergo committee scrutiny, India should consider mandating the referral of all bills to appropriate parliamentary committees. This practice enhances thorough examination and ensures comprehensive deliberation involving diverse perspectives, including from opposition members.
• Rule Amendment: To enforce mandatory committee referral, amendments to parliamentary rules of procedure are essential. This procedural change would institutionalize robust scrutiny and contribute to informed decision-making on legislative matters.
• Periodic Committee Evaluation: As recommended by the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC), the effectiveness of parliamentary committees should be periodically assessed. Outdated committees should be replaced with new ones that address contemporary challenges and legislative needs. For instance, specialized committees could focus on critical areas such as the national economy or constitutional amendments, equipped with necessary resources for expert analysis and research.