Public Accounts Committee

Public Accounts Committee

This committee is also a Standing Committee like Estimate Committee , which comes under the financial committees. Yes, their scrutiny is included. Members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are included in this committee.

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Public Accounts Committee : Historical Background

In the context of Indian history, the formation of the Public Accounts Committee was implemented for the first time in 1921 as a result of Montague-Chelmsford reforms. At that time, the secretarial assistance to the committee was provided by the Finance Department. In the Interim Government, the Finance Minister used to act as the Chairman of the Committee, due to which the Finance Minister was made the Chairman of this Committee after attaining independence in 1947. After the implementation of the Indian Constitution in 1950 AD, the Finance Minister was removed from the post of Chairman and a Chairman was elected from the elected members of both the Houses.

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Features of Public Accounts Committee

• This is a standing committee.
• The term of this committee is one year.
• There cannot be more than 22 members in this committee, out of which 15 members are elected from Lok Sabha and 7 members from Rajya Sabha.
• Before the year 1954-55, there were 15 members in the committee, who were elected from the Lok Sabha.
• Since 1954-55, the members of the Rajya Sabha were also given representation in this, as a result of which 7 members from the Rajya Sabha were included in this committee.
• The members of this committee are elected by the single transferable vote system of proportional representation system.
• The chairman of the committee is elected a member of the opposition.
• Till 1966-67, a member of the ruling party was elected as the chairman of the committee.
• For the first time in 1967, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha elected a member of the opposition as the chairman of the committee, after which this tradition is still in force.
• No minister of the government can be a member of this committee. If a member is elected as a minister, then the post of that member in the committee will be considered vacant from the date of taking charge of the minister's post.

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Functions of Public Accounts Committee

The functions of the Public Accounts Committee are as follows –

• This committee monitors the general expenditure.
• It scrutinizes the accounts showing the expenditure in relation to the demands granted for the expenditure of the Government of India, Appropriation Bills and such other accounts laid on the table of the Parliament as the Committee may deem fit.
• This committee also ensures that public expenditure is done in the same manner and on the same subjects for which it has been authorized by the Parliament.
• If in any financial year money is spent in excess of the amount allotted for the purpose of any service, the committee also inquires into the circumstances which led to the excess money being spent and makes such recommendations in this regard as it deems fit. understand |
• This committee also examines the reports given by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
• Together with the Estimate Committee, it ensures parliamentary control over public finance, due to which the Public Accounts Committee is called the twin sister of the Estimate Committee
• The committee also searches for evidence of extravagance, corruption, inefficiency and any deficiencies in the conduct of business in the conduct of the financial affairs of the nation.

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