Parliamentary Committees are not adversarial to the government but serve as a guide: Lok Sabha Speaker

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He emphasized that Parliamentary Committees act as supportive and corrective instruments, offering constructive guidance.

Parliamentary Committees

Parliamentary Committees are panels of Members of Parliament formed to scrutinise the functioning of the government and to uphold executive accountability.
Two types:
- Standing Committees (Permanent and Regular): Includes Financial Committees and 24 Departmentally Related Standing Committees.
- Ad hoc Committees (Constituted for specific purpose and cease to exist on finishing their task): Includes Select and Joint Committees on Bills.

Significance of Parliamentary Committees

Accountability: Need for vigilance on the part of the Legislature over the Executive actions. E.g. Public Accounts Committee in financial matters.
Transparent and Effective Governance: By offering well-researched recommendations and acting as a bridge between the executive and the legislature.
Improves Legislative Efficiency: Since Committees meet throughout the year, they help make up for lack of time available on the floor of the House.
Building consensus: Provide a forum for building consensus across political parties.

Short tenure and delays in constituting committees and closed-door meetings.
Low Attendance of MPs in committee meetings. In 17^th Lok Sabha, till July 2023, average attendance for subject committee meetings was 47%.
Declining number of bills being referred to the committees. Only 16% of the Bills in the 17^th Lok Sabha (60% in 14^th Lok Sabha).
The Venkatachaliah Commission (2000) found issues like lack of resources, inadequate staff strength, and absence of expert advisers.