Parliamentary Committees — PAC, Estimates Committee, and DRSCs

4.1 Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

Established in 1921 during the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms era, the PAC is one of the oldest parliamentary committees in India. It examines the annual audit reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and determines whether money granted by Parliament was spent: (a) in accordance with parliamentary sanction; (b) on the purposes for which it was voted; and (c) without waste or loss.

The PAC does not question government policy — it scrutinises policy implementation and financial probity. The convention of appointing a leader of the Opposition as Chairperson is of great constitutional significance: it reinforces that financial accountability is a non-partisan function. The PAC's findings often lead to 'action taken notes' by Ministries.

4.2 Estimates Committee

The Estimates Committee, comprising 30 members exclusively from Lok Sabha, undertakes a forward-looking examination of the Budget estimates laid before the House. Its mandate includes: (a) reporting what economies, improvements, and alterations can be effected in the estimates; (b) suggesting alternative policies to bring about efficiency and economy; and (c) examining whether money is being well laid out within the policy approved by Parliament.

Rajya Sabha is excluded from the Estimates Committee because financial Bills — including the Union Budget — originate exclusively in Lok Sabha. The Committee works throughout the year and may take up specific Ministries or schemes for in-depth examination.

4.3 Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs)

The DRSC system was institutionalised in 1993 to address the chronic problem of Bills being passed without adequate scrutiny. Today there are 24 DRSCs covering all Union Ministries and Departments. Each committee has 31 members — 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha — constituting a joint committee of both Houses, which gives their recommendations bipartite legitimacy.

DRSCs can examine: (a) Bills referred to them after introduction; (b) Demands for Grants of the respective Ministries; (c) Annual Reports; and (d) long-term policy documents. They can also seek expert testimony, invite civil society representatives, and request documents from government. However, like all parliamentary committees, their recommendations are advisory in nature. The government is not constitutionally bound to accept them, though sustained scrutiny can exert significant political pressure.

A significant concern has been the declining reference rate of Bills to DRSCs. In the 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024), only a small fraction of Bills introduced were referred to committees, compared to much higher rates in earlier decades, weakening pre-legislative scrutiny.

Important Concepts/Subtopics

5.1 Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU)

COPU examines reports and accounts of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), CAG reports on PSUs, and whether PSUs are being run on sound commercial lines. It has 22 members (15 LS + 7 RS) and plugs the gap between PAC (which examines all government expenditure) and the Estimates Committee (which focuses on Budget estimates).

5.2 Ad hoc Committees

These are constituted for specific purposes and are dissolved after submitting their report. Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPCs) are a prominent variety — examples include the JPC on the Bofors scandal and the JPC on the 2G spectrum allocation. Select Committees are formed when a Bill is referred to only one House's committee.

5.3 Committee Secrecy

Committee deliberations are secret. Members are not supposed to disclose the proceedings. The evidence tendered before committees is also generally confidential until the committee decides to make it public. This preserves the integrity of the deliberative process.

Current Relevance

The issue of parliamentary committee reform has gained prominence in recent years. The decline in the proportion of Bills referred to DRSCs has been flagged by constitutional scholars, former Speakers, and civil society organisations like PRS Legislative Research. The Budget Session 2023 and subsequent sessions saw important legislation such as the three criminal law reform Bills (replacing IPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act) passed with limited committee scrutiny, sparking debate about the role of DRSCs in democratic governance.

There is also a growing call to give DRSCs more resources — including dedicated secretariat support, research staff, and power to summon senior bureaucrats — to make them more effective oversight bodies comparable to Select Committees in the UK Parliament.