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. (Answer in 250 words)

Department-related Standing Committees deepen parliamentary control by examining demands, bills, policies and departmental reports outside the time pressure of the House.

Contribution

• They enable cross-party, evidence-based scrutiny of budgets and implementation.
• Expert testimony, CAG findings and stakeholder submissions improve legislative quality and expose administrative gaps.
• Their reports create reasoned public records and can secure executive reconsideration.

Limitations

• Recommendations are advisory; ministries may give formulaic action-taken replies.
• Low referral of bills, vacancies, inadequate research support, partisan attendance and confidentiality reduce influence.
• Unlike some systems, committee chairs and resources do not always ensure sustained independence.

Way forward

• Refer all substantial bills, strengthen secretariats, ensure attendance and publish time-bound compliance dashboards.
• Provide non-partisan research and protect committee deliberation from avoidable politicisation.

Keywords: constitutional values; governance; public institutions; accountability; inclusive development.