Consultative committees
Topic: Parliamentary Procedure, Committees and Privileges · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Consultative committees are informal groups of MPs from both Houses. Each is attached to a ministry. They are set up by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and chaired by the minister of that ministry. In them, MPs and the government discuss policies and programmes in a relaxed setting. They are not parliamentary committees. They are not set up by the House, they do not report to it, and they have no formal powers.
Example
The minister of railways may meet the MPs in that ministry's consultative committee to discuss plans for new trains and hear their suggestions. The meeting produces no formal report to Parliament.
Don't confuse with
- Departmentally related standing committees: real parliamentary committees of 31 MPs each. Ministers are barred from them, and they report to Parliament on demands for grants and bills.
Related concepts
- Departmentally related standing committee
- Joint Parliamentary Committee
- Business Advisory Committee
- Committee on Private Members' Bills and Resolutions
- Committee on Petitions
- Committee on Government Assurances
- Committee on Subordinate Legislation
- Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
- Committee on Empowerment of Women
- Joint Committee on Offices of Profit