To what extent parliamentary committees have been effective in ensuring the accountability of the executive? Justify your answer.

A parliamentary Committee PC is elected or nominated by speaker/chairman works unders and submit supports to speaker/chairman and has a permanent secretariat provided by Rajya Sabha/LoK Sabha. PC (structure diagram shown): Standing Committee - [House keeping cmt], Ad-hoc Committee, Financial Cmt, Departmental Related Spending Committee, Cmt. to scrutinize & control, Cmt. to Enquire, Public Accounts Cmt. → Cmt. on public undertaking, PC and Accountability of executive: Positive role/constructive Role of PC: Limitations on PCs role:

Positive role on Ensuring Accountability: (1) Estimates Committee: It scrutinizes the estimates included in the budget regarding various schemes/policies of ministries & departments. (2) Estimates Cmt. also suggests alternative policies & best way to public expenditure. (3) Public account Cmt.: Scrutinizes the finance account, appropriation account and account of public undertakings submitted by CAG. (4) Departmental related Standing Cmt.: checks the bills, policies of each ministry. (5) PC's help in Consensus building among various stakeholders. (6) PC's do more informal and deep analysis of executive function & it can also involve experts. (7) Gives the chance to opposition and Rajya Sabha to exercise more control over executive.

Limitations on powers of PCs: (1) The number of bills being referred to PC's are [reducing] over years for eg: 71% in 15th LoK Sabha only 27%. in 16th LoK. (2) Advisory: PC's are only advisory in nature. They cannot enforce a decision on government. (3) Postmortem: The nature of work of PC's are of postmortem nature in which [scrutiny happens after] voting of demands for grants happen. (4) Attendance: Poor attendance of members hinders effective scrutiny. (5) Lack of professionals: PC's members are helpful in case of technical matters, for eg: Science & tech related projects. (6) Their [tenure] is very short (only 1 yr). Though their limitations but still PC's have helped in ensuring executive accountability. More reforms should be taken based on recommendations of Sarkaria Commission to make it more effective body.

— Abhishek Singh · AIR 1035