{"id":135727,"date":"2024-10-05T14:31:29","date_gmt":"2024-10-05T09:01:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=docs&#038;p=135727"},"modified":"2024-12-24T16:32:32","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T11:02:32","password":"","slug":"parliamentary-committees-india-2","status":"publish","type":"docs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/docs\/parliamentary-committees-india-2","title":{"rendered":"Parliamentary Committees in India: Functions and Impacts on Legislation &#8211; (Part 02)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/udaan\/parliamentary-committees-in-india\/\"><b>Parliamentary committees<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> play a crucial role in managing the complex functions of the Indian Parliament. They <\/span><b>streamline legislative processes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and ensure <\/span><b>effective oversight<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of government operations. This article explores various types of committees, including <\/span><b>Departmental Standing Committees, Ethics Committees, and Privileges Committees,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> highlighting their functions and significance. Understanding these committees is essential for grasping h<\/span><b>ow Parliament maintains its integrity and efficiency.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #ff6600;\"><b>Parliamentary Committees in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Departmental Standing Committees<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Overview of Departmentally Related Standing Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are <\/span><b>24 Departmentally Related Standing Committees<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covering under their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/udaan\/supreme-court-of-india\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">jurisdiction<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> all the Ministries\/ Departments of the Government of India.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Composition of Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each of these Committees consists of<\/span><b> 31 Members<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; <\/span><b>21 from <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/leader-of-opposition-in-lok-sabha\/\"><b>Lok Sabha<\/b><\/a><b> and 10 from Rajya Sabha <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to be nominated by the Speaker, Lok Sabha and the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, respectively.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Term of Office: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term of Office of these Committees does not exceed one year.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Role of the Business Advisory Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Business Advisory Committee controls the House&#8217;s schedule.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Classification of Legislation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legislation is classified, and the <\/span><b>Private Members Committee <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">allots time for debate on private member bills and resolutions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Modifications to House Rules:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The<\/span><b> Rules Committee<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recommends modifications to the House&#8217;s rules if necessary.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Review of Leave Requests: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Requests for leave made by members of the houses are reviewed by the Committee on Members&#8217; Absences.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span class=\"vc_button\"><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/i><\/a><i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Some key functions of the 24 Departmental Standing Committees are as follows<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Review and Analysis of Demand for Grants: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They review and analyze the demand for<\/span><b> grants of the relevant ministries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but they cannot propose any<\/span><b> cut-motion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Examination of Bills:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They examine the bills presented by the concerned ministries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Scrutiny of Annual Reports:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They scrutinize the annual reports of the ministries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Consideration of Policy Documents: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They consider policy documents presented by the ministries before<\/span><b> both houses of Parliament<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Limitations on Involvement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It&#8217;s important to note that these committees do not typically involve themselves in <\/span><b>day-to-day administration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or interfere with matters taken up by other departmental standing committees.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Nature of Recommendations: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their recommendations are <\/span><b>advisory in nature<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and are not binding on Parliament.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Committee to Scrutinize and Control<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Committee on Government Assurances: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This committee evaluates the extent to which <\/span><b>promises, guarantees and undertakings <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">made by ministers in the Lok Sabha were fulfilled.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has <\/span><b>15 MPs in the Lok Sabha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>10 in the Rajya Sabha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Committee on subordinate legislation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This committee reviews whether the executive branch properly utilizes its powers to create <\/span><b>regulations, rules, sub-rules, and bylaws<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> conferred by Parliament or the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Committee for the validity of papers on the table:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This committee assesses the constitutionality and conformity of any paper presented by ministers.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has <\/span><b>15 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Committee for the welfare of SCs and STs:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This committee comprises 30 members, with <\/span><b>20 in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reports from the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/national-commission-for-scheduled-caste\/\"><b>National Commission for SCs<\/b><\/a><b> and the National Commission for STs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are presented to this committee.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Committee on Women&#8217;s Empowerment: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The National Commission on Women&#8217;s Report is reviewed by this committee.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Joint Committee on Office of Profit: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This committee examines the <\/span><b>composition and character of committees<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and other bodies appointed by federal, state, and union territory administrations and provides recommendations on whether or not individuals serving on these bodies should be barred from running for Parliament.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135745 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-05-143719.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"535\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-05-143719.webp 535w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-05-143719-300x243.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 535px) 100vw, 535px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-135747 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-7.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"488\" height=\"274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-7.webp 1600w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-7-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-7-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-7-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-7-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/unnamed-7-1568x882.webp 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 488px) 100vw, 488px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Consultative Committee<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Purpose of Consultative Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consultative Committees are established to <\/span><b>collaborate with government departments or ministries.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Meetings and Discussions:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Members of these committees, including Ministers, hold <\/span><b>informal meetings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to discuss policies and programs and their implementation processes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Appointment of Committees:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs appoints these committees.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Membership Size: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The committee can have a<\/span><b> minimum of<\/b> <b>10 members and a maximum of 30<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Joint Parliamentary Committees<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Formation of Joint Parliamentary Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPCs) can be formed for various purposes, including examining s<\/span><b>pecific bills or investigating financial irregularities.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Composition of JPCs: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These committees consist of members from <\/span><b>both Houses of Parliament<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Evidence Collection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> JPCs can seek evidence from experts, governmental entities, associations, individuals, or interested parties.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Contempt of the House:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Witnesses who fail to appear before a JPC in response to a <\/span><b>summons may be held in contempt of the House.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Appointment Process: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JPCs are appointed by the House, the<\/span><b> Speaker<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or the <\/span><b>Presiding Officers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of both Houses on an ad hoc basis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Examples of JPCs: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some examples of JPCs include the Committee on the <\/span><b>Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the Committee on Offices of Profit, and the Committee on Empowerment of Women.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Specific Issue Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are also committees focused on specific issues within Parliament, such as the<\/span><b> Library Committee, the Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex, and the Committee on Installation of Portraits\/Statues of National Leaders and Parliamentarians <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the Parliament House Complex.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Committee on Security Matters: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a Committee on Security Matters in the Parliament House Complex.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Self-Regulation of Parliament<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Purpose of Parliamentary Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parliamentary Committees serve as a <\/span><b>means to handle a variety of issues that are too voluminous<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the parliament to handle on its own.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Role Beyond Law-Making: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their role extends beyond just law-making and is crucial in the<\/span><b> day-to-day functioning<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the House.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Importance of Orderly Discussions: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Parliament conducts all of its important tasks through discussions, which must be conducted in an <\/span><b>orderly and meaningful manner<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the Parliament&#8217;s functions to be carried out smoothly and with dignity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Ethics Committee<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Origin of the Ethics Committee Concept: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The concept of an Ethics Committee in the Indian Parliament can be traced back to the <\/span><b>1990s when concerns arose about the conduct of certain Members of Parliament (MPs).\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Resolution at the Presiding Officers Conference: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1996, during the Presiding Officers Conference held in New Delhi, a resolution was adopted urging legislatures to explore the possibility of establishing Ethics Committees.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Formation of Ethics Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This resolution paved the way for the formation of Ethics Committees in both the <\/span><b>Lok Sabha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Lower House) and the <\/span><b>Rajya Sabha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Upper House).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Ethics Committee in Rajya Sabha<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Establishment: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ethics Committee in the Rajya Sabha was the first to be established, on March 4, 1997, by the then Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, <\/span><b>K.R. Narayanan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mandate of the Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Committee&#8217;s mandate was to oversee the <\/span><b>moral and ethical conduct of MPs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and to examine cases of misconduct referred to it.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Ethics Committee in Lok Sabha<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Establishment: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lok Sabha took a few years longer to establish its Ethics Committee.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An<\/span><b> ad-hoc Ethics Committee<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was constituted in <\/span><b>2000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by the then Speaker,<\/span><b> G.M.C. Balayogi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to deal with specific cases of misconduct.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Formation of Permanent Ethics Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it was only in <\/span><b>2015 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that a permanent Ethics Committee was formed in the Lok Sabha.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Role and Functions of Ethics Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ethics Committees in both Houses play a crucial role in upholding the ethical standards of MPs. They are empowered to<\/span><b> investigate allegations of misconduct<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including but not limited to:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Misuse of parliamentary privileges<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Financial irregularities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Breach of trust<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unparliamentary conduct<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Disciplinary Actions:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Committees can also issue r<\/span><b>eprimands, recommend disciplinary action<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or even recommend expulsion from Parliament in severe cases.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Significance of Ethics Committees<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Importance of Ethics Committees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ethics Committees play a vital role in preserving the integrity of the Indian Parliament.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Watchdog Function:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They act as a watchdog, ensuring that MPs conduct themselves in a manner that is befitting of their position and upholds the trust reposed in them by the electorate.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Impact on Public Confidence: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Committees&#8217; actions have helped to deter misconduct and maintain the public&#8217;s faith in the institution of Parliament.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Important Cases<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>The Cash-for-query Scam: In 2005<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the Ethics Committees of both Houses investigated allegations that Members of Parliament had been paid to ask questions in Parliament.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Ten Lok Sabha MPs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>one Rajya Sabha MP <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">were found guilty of misconduct and were expelled from Parliament.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>The Tehelka Sting Operation: In 2001<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha investigated allegations that <\/span><b>Members of Parliament had accepted bribes from journalists.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Committee found that several Members of Parliament had engaged in <\/span><b>corrupt activities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and recommended that <\/span><b>they be expelled from Parliament<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>The 2G Spectrum Scam: In 2012<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha investigated allegations that the then-Minister of Telecommunications had misused his powers to allocate 2G spectrum licenses to favored companies.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Committee found that the <\/span><b>Minister had engaged in misconduct<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and recommended that he be removed from the Cabinet.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Privileges Committee<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Overview: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Privileges Committee of Parliament investigates allegations of <\/span><b>breach of privilege of the House or its members<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It is one of the Standing Committees of Parliament.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Composition: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Committee of Privileges consists of <\/span><b>15 members in the Lok Sabha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Lower House) and<\/span><b> 10 members in the Rajya Sabha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Upper House).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Speaker<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (in Lok Sabha) or the<\/span><b> Chairman<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (in Rajya Sabha) nominates the members of the Committee from among the members of the House.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functions: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main function of the Privileges Committee is to <\/span><b>examine every question involving a breach of privilege of the House<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or of its members and to recommend appropriate action. The Committee has the power to:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Summon witnesses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and examine them on oath<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Call for documents <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and papers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Visit any place<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> connected with the inquiry<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Punish any person<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for contempt of the Committee<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Types of Breach of Privilege<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two main types of breach of privilege:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Breach of Privilege of the House: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is any act that <\/span><b>obstructs or impedes the House<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the performance of its duties.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Examples<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Refusing to give evidence to a parliamentary committee<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Publishing false or misleading reports of parliamentary proceedings<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interfering with the free passage of members to or from the House<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Breach of Privilege of a Member: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is any act that reflects on the character or conduct of a member, or that interferes with the member&#8217;s discharge of their parliamentary duties.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Examples:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assaults or threats of violence against a member<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Defamatory statements about a member<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imputations of corruption or dishonesty against a member<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Procedure and Functions of the Privileges Committee in Parliament<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Raising a Question of Privilege: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A question of privilege may be raised by any member of the House.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Referral to the Privileges Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the <\/span><b>Speaker or Chairman <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is satisfied that there is a prima facie case of breach of privilege, they will refer the matter to the Privileges Committee.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Investigation by the Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Committee will then investigate the matter and submit a report to the House.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Actions Taken by the House: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>House may then take any action it deems fit, including:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Issuing a reprimand<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Suspending the member from the House<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expelling the member from the House<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Importance of the Privileges Committee<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Role of the Privileges Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Privileges Committee plays an important role in upholding the dignity and authority of Parliament.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Upholding Dignity and Authority:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It ensures that members of the public and other bodies treat Parliament and its members with respect.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Protection of Members&#8217; Rights and Privileges: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Committee also protects the rights and privileges of members, so that they are able to carry out their <\/span><b>parliamentary duties without fear or favor.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span class=\"vc_button\"><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/i><\/a><i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 101.522%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 169.565%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #ff5e00; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><b>Must Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.2908%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/\"><b>Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 119.274%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\"><b>Editorial Analysis<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.2908%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\"><b>Upsc Notes\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 119.274%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/blogs\/\"><b>Upsc Blogs\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.2908%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/ncert-notes\/\"><b>NCERT Notes<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 119.274%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\"><b>Free Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In summary, parliamentary committees are vital for the <\/span><b>smooth functioning and accountability of the legislative process.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They not only scrutinize government actions but also uphold<\/span><b> ethical standards among Members of Parliament.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By providing checks and balances, these committees ensure that <\/span><b>Parliament operates with integrity and serves the public effectively<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Their recommendations, while advisory, greatly influence <\/span><b>policy-making<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>governance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b><i>Sign up for the<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <b><i>PWOnlyIAS Online Course by Physics Wallah<\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i> and start your journey to IAS success today!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.2977%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #ff5e00; text-align: center; width: 161.854%;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><b>Related Articles\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8; width: 41.3793%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/leader-of-opposition-in-lok-sabha\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8; width: 120.475%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/udaan\/supreme-court-of-india\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jurisdiction And Powers Of Supreme Court<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8; width: 41.3793%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/national-commission-for-scheduled-caste\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8; width: 120.475%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/udaan\/parliamentary-committees-in-india\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parliamentary Committees in India: Structure, Functions, and Importance<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn about the composition, duties, and importance of Parliamentary Committees in India to help in your UPSC exam preparation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"doc_category":[122],"doc_tag":[5917],"acf":[],"year_month":"2026-04","word_count":1959,"total_views":0,"reactions":{"happy":0,"normal":0,"sad":0},"author_info":{"name":"Priyanka","author_nicename":"priyanka6","author_url":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/author\/priyanka6"},"doc_category_info":[{"term_name":"INDIAN POLITY","term_url":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/docs-category\/indian-polity"}],"doc_tag_info":[{"term_name":"Parliamentary Committees","term_url":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/docs-tag\/parliamentary-committees"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/docs\/135727"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/docs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/docs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135727"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/docs\/135727\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":148291,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/docs\/135727\/revisions\/148291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"doc_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/doc_category?post=135727"},{"taxonomy":"doc_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/doc_tag?post=135727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}