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UPSC MainsGeneral Studies Paper IIIndian PolityPractice question

Parliamentary Committees and Legislative Accountability

Parliamentary committees are 'miniature Parliament' and essential instrument of legislative accountability. Evaluate.

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How to approach

Begin by contextualising parliamentary committees through their constitutional foundation and explain how their composition reflects a 'miniature Parliament'. Analyse their role in enforcing legislative accountability across financial, policy, and legislative domains. Conclude by highlighting key structural and procedural constraints with institutional reforms suggested by bodies like the NCRWC.

Model answer

325 words

Introduction

Drawing constitutional authority from Articles 105 (powers and privileges of Parliament) and 118(1) (rules of procedure), Parliamentary Committees function as a 'miniature Parliament'. By mirroring the proportional party composition of the legislature, they enable detailed, multi-party scrutiny away from populist rhetoric and floor interruptions.

Role as an Instrument of Legislative Accountability

  • Non-Partisan Scrutiny: The 24 Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs), established in 1993, meticulously examine legislative bills, annual ministry reports, and budgetary Demands for Grants in an environment sheltered from public glare and partisan posturing.
  • Financial Oversight: Key financial bodies like the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Estimates Committee, and the Committee on Public Undertakings act as post-mortem watchdogs of executive expenditure, ensuring adherence to parliamentary appropriations.
  • Stakeholder and Expert Consultation: Committees bridge the gap between civil society and policymakers by integrating testimonies from external specialists and citizens before legislative measures are enacted, as demonstrated by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Data Protection Bill.

Evaluation of Structural and Operational Constraints

  • Declining Legislative Referrals: A marked reduction in the proportion of proposed legislation sent for committee vetting weakens institutional oversight. Data indicates a sharp decline from 71% of bills referred during the 15th Lok Sabha to just 16% in the 17th Lok Sabha.
  • Circumventing Committee Vetting: The tactical classification of legislative measures as 'Money Bills' and the frequent suspension of business to pass legislation amid pandemonium often bypass parliamentary committee review altogether.
  • Structural and Resource Limitations: The standard one-year tenure for committee members disrupts institutional memory and discourages domain specialisation, further exacerbated by inadequate independent research and technical secretariats.
  • Advisory Authority: Recommendations produced by parliamentary panels are purely advisory and non-binding, leaving the executive with wide discretion on implementation.

Conclusion

To restore the efficacy of parliamentary committees as bulwarks of accountability, institutionalising the mandatory referral of substantive bills—as recommended by the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC)—alongside longer tenures and dedicated research support, is vital for safeguarding democratic checks and balances.

Key facts to remember

definition
Parliamentary Committee

A committee appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker or Chairman, functioning under the direction of the presiding officer and presenting its reports to Parliament.

statistic

The percentage of bills referred to Parliamentary Committees declined sharply from 71% during the 15th Lok Sabha to just 16% in the 17th Lok Sabha.

— PRS Legislative Research
example
Joint Parliamentary Committee on Personal Data Protection

The JPC on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 engaged in extensive stakeholder consultations with industry experts, privacy advocates, and government bodies before recommending substantial revisions.

Frequently asked questions

Why are Parliamentary Committees described as a 'miniature Parliament'?

They are composed of members selected from across political parties in proportion to their strength in Parliament, reflecting the diversity and cross-section of the entire legislature in a working environment.

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