Draft:Legislative Committees

Legislative Committees are small groups of legislators, functioning as internal sub-units of legislative bodies, with the power to examine and deal with particular matters. Since the work of modern legislatures is often varied and voluminous, while the time at their disposal is limited, Legislative Committees allow legislators to give closer attention to specific issues and consider them in greater detail.

Official Definition of Legislative Committees

Legislative Committees as Defined in Legislation

Articles 118 and 208 of the Constitution of India empower the Parliament and the State Legislatures, respectively, to make rules for regulating their procedure and conduct of business. Legislative Committees are constituted under these Rules, such as the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) and the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) for the two Houses of the Parliament.

Legislative Committees as Defined in International Instruments

I could not find any relevant international statutes or conventions on Legislative Committees since rules relating to Legislative Committees are mostly determined at the national level. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has several Committees, but since the UNGA is not technically a legislature, I am not sure if these can be considered Legislative Committees.

Legislative Committees as Defined in Official Documents

The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) define a Parliamentary Committee in Sub-Rule (1) of Rule 2 as a committee appointed or elected by the House, or nominated by the Speaker, which works under the Speaker’s direction and submits its report to the House or the Speaker.

Legal Provisions Relating to Legislative Committees

Chapter XXVI of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) lays down general rules on the composition, powers, and functioning of Parliamentary Committees.

• Rule 254 provides two methods for the appointment of Committee Members: election or appointment by the House on a motion, or nomination by the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
• A Member may object to another Member being included in a Committee if they have a personal, financial, or direct interest in a matter before the Committee. Rule 255 sets out the procedure for such objections.
• The term of office of a Committee Member is determined by the Speaker under Rule 256.
• Rule 257 sets out the procedure for a Member to resign from a Committee.
• Each Committee has a Chairperson, nominated by the Speaker from among its Members under Rule 258.
• Rule 259 requires one-third of the Committee’s Members to be present for a sitting of the Committee.
• If a Member is absent from two or more consecutive sittings without the Chairperson’s permission, the Member may be discharged from the Committee under Rule 260.
• Rules 261 and 262 lay down the procedure for voting in a Committee. Rule 261 states that questions are decided by a majority of the Members present and voting. If the votes are equally divided, Rule 262 gives the Chairperson a second or casting vote.
• Rule 263 allows a Committee to appoint sub-Committees, which work under the direction of the Committee.
• Rule 266 states that Committee sittings are held in private. Rule 268 therefore requires all persons other than Committee Members and officers of the Lok Sabha Secretariat to withdraw when the Committee is deliberating.
• Rules 269 and 270 empower Committees to take evidence, call for documents, and require persons, papers, and records to be produced. Rule 273 allows the Committee to examine witnesses. Witnesses must take an oath under Rule 272 and may be represented by counsel with the Committee’s approval under Rule 271.
• Under Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 269, a Committee may keep evidence confidential. Rule 275 provides for such evidence to be laid on the Table. Until then, the evidence, report, and proceedings of the Committee remain confidential, except for inspection by the Speaker under Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 275.
• Rule 274 requires a Committee to keep a record of its decisions.
• Rule 277 requires a Committee to present its report within one month of the matter being referred to it, unless the House or Speaker allows a different time period. Under Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 277, a report may be preliminary or final.
• Rule 278 states that a Committee’s report remains confidential until it is presented to the House.
• Rule 279 requires the Chairperson, or another Member in their absence, to present the Committee’s report to the House. The Member may make brief remarks, but the report itself is not debated.
• Rule 280 allows a Committee’s report to be printed, published, and circulated before it is presented to the House, with the Speaker’s permission.
• Rule 284 states that business pending before a Committee does not end when the House is prorogued, i.e., when its session ends. The Committee can therefore continue its work even when the House is not in session.
• However, a Committee ends when its term expires or when the House is dissolved. In such cases, if it has unfinished work, it reports it to the Speaker, who makes the preliminary reports and other relevant material available to a new Committee under Rule 285.

Legislative Committees as Defined in Official Government Reports

The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC), in Chapter 5 of its report, noted several shortcomings in the functioning of the Departmental Parliamentary Committees, including large-scale absenteeism, the allocation of multiple Ministries to most Committees, lack of norms for nominating Members, limited access to specialist advisers, and the one-year tenure of Committees, which limits opportunities for Members to develop subject expertise. The Commission’s recommendations included:

• Rationalising the Parliamentary Committee system and discussing major Committee reports in the Houses, particularly where there is disagreement between a Committee and the Government.
• Periodic review of the work of Parliamentary Committees, along with the provision of specialist advisers and greater research support.
• Establishing a Nodal Standing Committee on National Economy to oversee major macroeconomic issues and provide Parliament with regular analysis of the national economy.
• Establishing a Standing Constitution Committee for the prior scrutiny of constitutional amendment proposals and the constitutional validity of legislation.

Legislative Committees as Defined in Case Laws

In Kalpana Mehta & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors., 2018 (7) SCC 1, a two-judge Bench of the Supreme Court of India considered the evidentiary and judicial value of Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) reports and the extent to which they may be relied upon in court. The Supreme Court held that:

• A Parliamentary Standing Committee report may be used to interpret a statutory provision where necessary and may also be taken note of as evidence of a historical fact.
• Judicial notice may be taken of a Parliamentary Standing Committee report under the Indian Evidence Act.
• In writ proceedings, the Supreme Court or High Court may take a Parliamentary Standing Committee report on record. However, the report cannot itself be challenged in a court of law.
• As Parliamentary Standing Committee reports are in the public domain, citizens may comment on and criticise them without this amounting to a violation of parliamentary privilege.

Types of Legislative Committees

In the Parliament of India, there are broadly two types of Legislative Committees:

• Standing Committees are permanent and regular Committees, constituted periodically in accordance with an Act of Parliament or the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
• Ad Hoc Committees are formed for a specific purpose and cease to exist once they complete the task assigned to them and submit their report.

Standing Committees

Financial Committees

Committee on Estimates

Rules 310 to 312 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) provide for the constitution and scope of the Estimates Committee, which examines estimates referred to it by the House or the Speaker of Lok Sabha. The Committee consists of 30 Members elected by the Lok Sabha for a term of one year.

Committee on Public Accounts

Rules 308 and 309 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) provide for the functioning and constitution of the Public Accounts Committee, which examines the accounts of the Government of India, to see whether government expenditure was legally authorised and used for the intended purpose. The Committee consists of 22 members, 15 of whom are elected by the Lok Sabha and 7 by the Rajya Sabha, for a term of one year.

Committee on Public Undertakings

Rules 312A and 312B provides for the constitution of the Public Undertakings Committee to examine the working of specific public undertakings (PSUs) listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) The Committee consists of 22 members, 15 of whom are elected by the Lok Sabha and 7 by the Rajya Sabha, for a term of one year.

Departmentally-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs)

In 1993, a system of Departmentally-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) was introduced with 17 Committees covering the Ministries and Departments of the Union Government. There are currently 24 such Committees.

• Under Lok Sabha Secretariat
  • Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Food Processing
  • Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers
  • Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel
  • Committee on Communications and Information Technology
  • Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution
  • Committee on Defence
  • Committee on Energy
  • Committee on External Affairs
  • Committee on Finance
  • Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs
  • Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development
  • Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas
  • Committee on Railways
  • Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
  • Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment
  • Committee on Water Resources
• Under Rajya Sabha Secretariat
  • Committee on Commerce
  • Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports
  • Committee on Health and Family Welfare
  • Committee on Home Affairs
  • Committee on Industry
  • Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law, and Justice
  • Committee on Science & Technology, Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture

Rule 331D of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) and Rule 269 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) provide that each DRSC consists of 31 members, with 21 members nominated by the Speaker from the Lok Sabha and 10 members nominated by the Chairman from the Rajya Sabha, for a term of one year.

Rule 331E of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) and Rule 270 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) empower DRSCs to examine the Demands for Grants, Bills, annual reports, and other policy documents of their concerned Ministries or Departments. However, they do not examine the day-to-day administration of these Ministries or Departments.

Other Standing Committees

Business Advisory Committee

Rules 287 and 288 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) establish a Business Advisory Committee, consisting of 15 members, including the Speaker of Lok Sabha as its Chairperson. Its functions include allocating time for discussing Bills and other business of the House.

Similarly, Rules 30 to 35 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) provide for a Business Advisory Committee in the Rajya Sabha, consisting of 11 members, including the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, with similar functions as in the Lok Sabha.

Committee of Privileges

Rules 313 and 314 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) provide for a Committee of Privileges, consisting of maximum 15 members nominated by the Speaker, for examining alleged breaches of privilege and making recommendations.

Committee on Absence of Members from the Sittings of the House

Rules 325 and 326 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) provide for a Committee consisting of 15 members nominated by the Speaker for a term of one year, for considering applications for leave of absence and cases of prolonged absence without permission.

Committee on Empowerment of Women

Rules 331O and 331P of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) provide for a Committee on the Empowerment of Women consisting of maximum 30 members, with 20 members nominated by the Speaker and 10 by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The Committee’s functions include examining measures for improving the equality, dignity, and representation of women, as well as programmes and reports of the National Commission for Women.

Committee on Ethics

Rules 316A and 316B of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) establish a Committee on Ethics, consisting of maximum 15 members nominated by the Speaker for a term of one year, for examining complaints of unethical conduct by Members and formulating and reviewing the Code of Conduct.

Similarly, Rules 30 to 35 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) provide for a Committee on Ethics consisting of 10 members nominated by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, with similar functions relating to Members’ ethical conduct and the Code of Conduct.

Committee on Government Assurances

Rules 323 and 324 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) establish a Committee on Government Assurances to examine assurances, promises, and undertakings given by Ministers on the floor of the House, with the objective of ensuring that they are implemented within the minimum time necessary. It consists of maximum 15 members nominated by the Speaker for a term of one year. A Minister cannot be a member of the Committee.

Similarly, Rules 30 to 35 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) provide for a Committee on Government Assurances, consisting of 10 members nominated by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Committee on Papers Laid on the Table

Rules 305A and 305B of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) establish a Committee for examining papers laid by Ministers for compliance with legal and procedural requirements, and delays in laying them.

Similarly, Rules 30 to 35 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) provide for a Committee on Papers Laid on the Table in the Upper House.

Committee on Petitions

Rules 306 and 307 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) provide for a Committee on Petitions, consisting of at least 15 members nominated by the Speaker, for examining petitions referred to it and recommending remedial measures.

Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions

Rules 293 and 294 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) provide for a Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions, consisting of 15 members appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha for a term of one year, examining and classifying Private Members’ Bills, recommending time for their discussion, and considering objections to such Bills. A Private Member is defined as a Member other than a Minister in Sub-Rule (1) of Rule 2.

Committee on Rules

Rules 329 and 330 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) provide for a Rules Committee consisting of 15 members nominated by the Speaker, who serves as its ex-officio Chairperson. The Committee considers matters relating to the procedure and conduct of business and recommends amendments to the Rules.

Similarly, Rules 216 and 217 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) provide for a Rules Committee in the Upper House, consisting of 16 members, including the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, with the Chairman serving as its Chairperson.

Committee on Subordinate Legislation

Rules 317 to 321 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) provide for the constitution and functions of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation, including examining whether delegated legislative powers have been properly exercised and recommending the annulment or amendment of Orders where necessary.

Similarly, Rules 30 to 35 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) provide for the constitution and functions of the Committee in the Upper House.

Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Rules 331A and 331B of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) establish a Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to examine measures taken by the Union Government and Union Territory Administrations for the welfare and representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. It consists of 30 members, including 20 elected by the Lok Sabha and 10 nominated by the Rajya Sabha, for a term of up to one year.

Ad Hoc Committees

Select Committees on Bills

Rules

• Rules 298 to 300 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (17th ed., 2024) deal with the constitution and procedure of Select Committees on Bills. Members are appointed by the House when a Bill is referred to a Committee, which generally follows the House’s procedure for considering Bills.
• Rules 301 to 305 deal with deal with amendments, evidence and the Committee’s report, which must be presented within the time fixed by the House or, where no time is specified, within three months.
• Similarly, Rules 72 to 92 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) (9th ed., 2016) deal with the constitution and procedure of Select Committees on Bills in the Upper House.

Committees

The following are some of the Select Committees on Bills constituted and functioning in the Parliament as of 27 September 2026:  

• Select Committee of the Lok Sabha to Examine the Income Tax Bill, 2025
• Select Committee on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025
• Select Committee on the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025

Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPCs)

Rules

• The Practice and Procedure of Parliament (8th ed., 2024) explains that, similar to the referral of Bills to Select Committees, a Bill may be referred to an ad hoc Joint Committee of both Houses with the concurrence of the other House.
• The motion for reference specifies the number of Members from each House, with the usual proportion being 2:1 for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Members.
• The House that initiates the motion is responsible for the Joint Committee, and its Chairperson functions under the directions of the Presiding Officer of that House.
• The other House, while considering the motion, may suggest directions to the Committee and appoint its Members. Its concurrence with the motion does not amount to agreement with the principles underlying the Bill.

Committees

The following are some of the Joint Committees on Bills constituted and functioning in the Parliament as of 27 September 2026:  

• Joint Committee on the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026
• Joint Committee on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026
• Joint Committee on Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025

International Experience of Legislative Committees

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, much of the work of the House of Commons and the House of Lords is carried out through Committees, which examine government policies, proposed legislation and other issues in greater detail. Select Committees examine the work of government departments and wider policy issues, while General Committees in the House of Commons mainly consider proposed legislation. Joint Committees consist of Members of both Houses, and the House of Commons and House of Lords also have Grand Committees with specific functions. India inherited the modern Parliamentary Committee system from the British parliamentary system, with its origins tracing back to the the Public Accounts Committee being established in 1921 under the Government of India Act, 1919.

United States of America

In the United States of America, Congressional Committees examine Bills and other matters referred to them, conducting hearings, consulting witnesses and considering possible amendments before deciding whether to report a Bill to the House or Senate. Committees may also conduct further research and hold hearings to examine the strengths and weaknesses of a proposal. A Committee may report a Bill to the relevant chamber after approving it, with or without amendments. Most House and Senate Committees also have subcommittees that focus on specific areas of their work, although only the full Committee can report legislation to the chamber. The Committees of Congress include Standing Committees, Select and Special Committees, and Joint Committees, with both the House and Senate having their own Committees.

Appearance of Legislative Committees in Databases

Digital Sansad

The Digital Sansad portal, the official online portal of the Parliament of India, maintains several databases relating to Parliamentary Committees. These include databases of Committee Meetings, Subjects Selected for Examination, Bills Referred to Committees, Committee Reports and Committee Press Releases. The databases provide information such as the name of the Committee, its Members, meeting dates and venues, agendas, subjects under consideration and publicly accessible files relating to reports and other Committee documents.

The Digital Sansad Committee Meetings database provides a schedule of Parliamentary Committee meetings, including the Committee, Members, Date & Time, Venue & Place, Agenda and Remarks for each meeting. [Image Source: Screenshot from Digital Sansad, https://sansad.in/ls/committee/committee-meetings, Captured on 30/09/2026]

The Digital Sansad Subjects, Reports & Press Release database provides information on Parliamentary Committees through categories including Bills Referred to Committees, Reports Presented, Press Release, Committee Subject Selected and Historical Reports Presented. [Image Source: Screenshot from Digital Sansad, https://sansad.in/ls/committee/subjects-reports, Captured on 30/09/2026]

PRS Legislative Research

PRS Legislative Research maintains a public database of Parliamentary Committee Schedules, which provides information on the date, name of the Committee and agenda for upcoming and past meetings. It also maintains a database of Committee Reports, which provides summaries on reports of Parliamentary Committees that can be read or downloaded from the PRS website.

The PRS Legislative Research Schedule for Standing Committee database provides the schedule of Parliamentary Committee meetings. The table displays details including the Date, Name of Committee and Agenda for each meeting. [Image Source: Screenshot from PRS Legislative Research, https://prsindia.org/parliament-committees, Captured on 30/09/2026]

The PRS Legislative Research Committee Reports database provides summaries on reports presented by Parliamentary Committees. [Image Source: Screenshot from PRS Legislative Research, https://prsindia.org/parliament-committees, Captured on 30/09/2026]

Research that Engages with Legislative Committees

Parliamentary Committees: Increasing Their Effectiveness (PRS Legislative Research, 2019)

PRS Legislative Research’s 2019 discussion paper Parliamentary Committees: Increasing Their Effectiveness examines the functioning of Parliamentary Committees in India and makes recommendations for strengthening the Committee system. It recommends referring all Bills, other than Money Bills, to Committees to ensure a minimum level of Parliamentary scrutiny, making Committee recommendations and reasons for rejecting them available for discussion in the House, increasing access to expert witnesses, stakeholders and public comments, and providing Committees with greater research and technical support. It also highlights the importance of Member attendance and participation in Committee meetings.

Tools for Parliamentary Oversight: A Comparative Study of 88 National Parliaments (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2007)

The Inter-Parliamentary Union’s 2007 study Tools for Parliamentary Oversight: A Comparative Study of 88 National Parliaments examines the different tools used by national parliaments to oversee governments and public agencies. Based on information from 88 Parliaments across the world, it examines oversight through Parliamentary Committees, including Committee inquiries, hearings and reports, as well as parliamentary questions, debates, and votes of confidence. The study provides comparative examples of how these tools operate across different parliamentary systems, but does not assess which oversight systems are more effective than others.

Challenges

I had reached out to Shruti for clarification on the Challenges and Way Ahead sections, and as far as I have come to understand, these sections are mainly about information gaps relating to the term. Most of the challenges and recommendations I came across in official sources relate to improving the Parliamentary Committee system itself, rather than gaps in the availability or reliability of information.

From my research, information on Parliamentary Committees, including their composition, reports and meeting schedules, is generally available in the public domain. Some information may not be publicly available where the Rules of Procedure allow Committees to keep it confidential.

Way Ahead

Comments as mentioned in the above section.

Related Terms

• Judicial Committees: Committees constituted by the Supreme Court and High Courts under their administrative powers, rules, and orders.