GS-2:Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business, Powers & Privileges and Issues Arising out of these.

In News:When Parliament isn’t in session, standing committees are where the action is;

1.Analyse the significance of Standing Committees in the legislative framework of India. Evaluate their effectiveness and suggest potential reforms to enhance their role in legislative scrutiny and government accountability.

Standing Committees, particularly the Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs), play a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness of the Indian parliamentary system by scrutinising bills, demand for grants, and various policy documents.

Significance of standing committees:

1. Detailed scrutiny of legislation:Standing Committees meticulously examine bills clause by clause, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of their implications.
2. Enhancing accountability: Act as watchdogs, holding the executive accountable for actions and expenditures.
3. Expert inputs: Committees often consult with subject matter experts, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders, ensuring a well-rounded perspective.
4. Empowering parliamentarians: Standing Committees empower MPs to actively participate in the legislative process and contribute to policy making.
5. Enhancing public trust: By providing a platform for rigorous scrutiny and public debate, Committees help restore public trust in the democratic process.
6. Oversight of government expenditure:Committees examine the government’s budget demands,track the utilization of funds and identify instances of wasteful expenditure or misuse of public money.

Effectiveness of standing committees

1. Declining referrals: Reduced percentage of bills referred to committees, undermining their scrutiny role.16% of Bills were referred to Committees for detailed scrutiny in 17th Lok Sabha.

2. Low attendance and participation: Notable absenteeism among MPs limits effective committee functioning.Ex:Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment: in 2023, some MPs attended only one or two of its 16 meetings.
3. Short tenure: One-year terms hinder specialisation and expertise, affecting deliberation quality.
4. Gender imbalance: Only two out of 24 committees are chaired by women, and the Standing Committee on Women Empowerment has not been constituted for the 18th Lok Sabha.This undermines gender-sensitive policy making

Reforms to enhance functionality and accountability

1. Increasing referral rates: Ensuring all major bills are referred to committees for scrutiny before debate.
2. Extending tenure for members: A longer tenure, akin to practices in other legislative bodies like the US Congress, could improve continuity and effectiveness.
3. Mandatory government responses: The current requirement for government responses to committee recommendations is six months; this can be reduced to 60 days, similar to practices in the British House of Commons
4. Create a Standing Committee on National Economy: To annually examine the state of the economy. Short-duration discussions should be initiated in both Houses of Parliament to discuss the reports
5. Constitutional amendment oversight: A dedicated Constitution Committee should be formed to check if these are ultra vires to the Constitution, and strengthen the credibility of constitutional amendments.

By addressing these challenges and implementing these reforms, Standing Committees can be further empowered to play a more effective role in legislative scrutiny and government accountability.

PYQ

1. Explain the structure of the Parliamentary Committee system. How far have the financial committees helped in the institutionalisation of Indian Parliament? 2023
2. Do Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees keep the administration on its toes and inspire reverence for parliamentary control? Evaluate the working of such committees with suitable examples. 2021
3. Why do you think the committees are considered to be useful for parliamentary work? Discuss, in this context, the role or the Estimates Committee.2018

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/when-parliament-isnt-in-session-standing-committees-are-where-the-action-is-9637441/
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sebi-chief-madhabi-puri-buch-skips-parliaments-public-accounts-committee-meeting/article68790290.ece