House Committees

The work done by the Assembly is not only varied in nature, but also considerable in volume. The time at its disposal is limited, and it cannot therefore give close consideration to all the legislative and other matters that come up before it. To overcome this difficulty the Committee system has evolved over the years to ensure that legislative check over the executive action remains.

A House Committee means a Committee of the House, which is appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker. It works under the directions of the Speaker and reports to the House or the Speaker. The Assembly Secretary is the ex-officio Secretary of these Committees [Rule 184 (1)] and the Assembly Secretariat functions as the Secretariat of the Committee. The term of each Committee is normally one year.

The Delhi Legislative Assembly presently has the following Committees:

1. BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The BAC recommends the time that should be allocated for the discussion on the Bills and other Government Business, as the Speaker in consultation with the Leader of the House, refers to the Committee.

Constitution - It consists of seven members nominated by the Speaker including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker and the speaker is its ex-officio Chairman.

2. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) examines the appropriation accounts of the Capital and the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon, the annual financial accounts of the Capital and such other accounts laid before the House as the Committee may deem fit.

Constitution - The Committee consists of seven Members who are elected by the House every year from amongst its Members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. A minister cannot be a member of this Committee and if a member of the Committee is appointed as Minister he ceases to be a member from the date of his appointment as Minister.

3. COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKINGS: The Committee on Government Undertakings examines the functioning of Government Undertakings. The objections of the Comptroller and Auditor General as reported to the House are taken up for consideration by the Committee.

4. COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ASSURANCES:

Constitution - The Committee consists of Seven Members of the House nominated by the Speaker. As per convention the Chairman of the Committee is nominated from the Opposition party. The Committee scrutinizes the assurances, promises undertakings etc. given by Ministers on the floor of the House.

A minister cannot be a member of this Committee and if a member of the Committee is appointed as Minister he ceases to be a member from the date of his appointment as Minister.

5. COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS :

Constitution - The Committee consists of seven members nominated by the Speaker. However, a minister cannot be a member of this Committee and if a member of the Committee is appointed as Minister he ceases to be a member from the date of his appointment as Minister.

The petition is to be addressed to the House when it is in session or the Speaker when not in session. The petition can be on any matter of general public interest provided that it is not sub-judice or remedy is available under the law. However, the Speaker, in his discretion may refer any such petitions also to the Committee.

6. COMMITTEE ON DELEGATED LEGISLATION:

The Committee scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, byelaws etc. conferred by the Act or delegated by any other lawful authority are being properly exercised within such delegation and also ensure that such delegation is lawful and not excessive.

7. RULES COMMITTEE:

Constitution - The Committee consists of seven members including the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker. The Speaker, who is the ex-officio Chairman, nominates the rest of the members.

The Committee considers matters of procedure and conducts of business in the House and recommends any amendments or additions to these rules that may be deemed necessary.

8. COMMITTEE OF PRIVILEGES:

Constitution - The Committee consists of seven members including the Deputy Speaker, nominated by the Speaker. The Deputy Speaker is the Chairman of the Committee.

The Committee examines notices of privileges and contempt of the Houses as referred to it by the Speaker.

9. QUESTIONS AND REFERENCES COMMITTEE:

Constitution - The Committee consists of seven members including the Deputy Speaker, nominated by the Speaker. The Deputy Speaker is the Chairman of the Committee.

The Committee examines replies of such questions which have either not been received or are not satisfactory. Besides the Speaker may also refer any other matter concerning the House not included within the jurisdiction of any other Committee.

10. GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE:

Constitution - The Speaker is the ex-officio Chairman of this Committee and he nominates six other members.

The Committee considers proposals and tenders advice to the Speaker on important matters specially relating to improvement in the organization of work in the Assembly and any other matter referred by the House or the Speaker.

11. COMMITTEE ON WELFARE OF SCHEDULED CASTES, SCHEDULED TRIBES AND OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES:

The Committee reviews the progress and implementation of the welfare programmes and other ameliorative measures as also constitutional safeguards for SC/ST and OBCs.

12. COMMITTEE ON PAPERS LAID ON THE TABLE:

Constitution - The Committee consists of seven Members nominated by the Speaker.

The Committee reports to the House whether the papers laid by the Ministers comply with the provisions of the Act, rules or regulations under which they have been laid and whether there has been any delay.

13. LIBRARY COMMITTEE:

Constitution - The Speaker is the ex-officio Chairman of this Committee and he nominates six other members. A Minister cannot be a member of this Committee.

The Committee considers suggestions for the improvement of the Library and advises upon matters connected with the services provided to the Members of the Library besides any other matter concerning the Library that may be referred to it by the Speaker.

14. COMMITTEE ON PRIVATE MEMBERS BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS:

Constitution - The Speaker is the ex-officio Chairman of this Committee and he nominates six other members to it.

The Committee examines the nature, legislative competency, urgency and importance of all Private Members� Bills and Resolutions and recommends the time that should be allocated for the discussion of the stage or stages of each Bill and also indicate in the time table so drawn up the different hours at which the various stages of the Bill in a day shall be completed.

15. COMMITTEE ON WOMEN AND CHILD WELFARE:

Constitution - The Committee consists of seven Members nominated by the Speaker. However, a minister cannot be a member of this Committee and if a member of the Committee is appointed as Minister he ceases to be a member from the date of his appointment as Minister.

The Chief functions of the Committee are:

i) To examine the functioning of any orphanage, poor home, welfare home, hospital, asylum, educational institution, boarding house, prison, factory, rescue home, shelter home, Nari niketan, maternity and child welfare home, hostel, school, or any other similar institution exclusively meant for women and children and any other premises as the Committee determines in consultation with the Speaker.

ii) To examine the functioning of the institutions and government departments dealing with the welfare of women and children.

iii) To consider the reports submitted by the Delhi Commission for women and to report on the measures that should be taken by the Government for empowerment of women and for improving their status/conditions in respect of the matters within the purview of the Government.

iv) To suggest measures for the rehabilitation of unmarried or deserted mothers and the aged and destitute women and desolate widows.

v) To suggest measure for making the mentally retarded, the infirm and the physically handicapped persons self-sufficient and useful members of the society.

vi) To suggest measures for the welfare of disorganized group of women engaged in household labour and similar other occupations.

vii) To examine any other matters as may be deemed fit by the Committee or specially referred by the Speaker.

16. SELECT COMMITTEE: When a Bill comes up before the House for general discussion, it is open to the House to refer it to a Select Committee. A motion has to be moved and adopted to this effect. When the motion that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee is made and agreed to the House appoints the members of the Select Committee on the Bill.

Constitution - The Committee consists of seven Members including the following:

i) Minister-in-charge of the Bill.

ii) Member-in-charge of the Bill (in cases of Private Members Bill)

iii) The member on whose motion the Bill has been referred to the Select Committee.

The procedure in a Select Committee is similar to the procedure followed in the House during the consideration stage of a Bill. All amendments, notices for which had been given in the House, stand referred to the Committee.

HOUSE COMMITTEES (AD HOC): Besides the above the House can appoint ad hoc Committees to go into specific issues. They are appointed for a specific purpose and they cease to exist when they finish the task assigned to them and submit a report to the House. Presently, two such committees have been constituted viz.,

i) House Committee to consider the recommendations of the Virendra Prakash Committees Report (Restructuring of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi) under the Chairmanship of Shri Deep Chand Bandhu.

ii) House Committee to issues relating to allotment of land/plots to landless under the 20 Point Programme, chaired by Shri Mukesh Sharma.

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