Parliamentary Committees
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Sample questions
From the departmental-exam question corpus. These have not been through RankRacer's answer-verification gate — check the rule itself before relying on one.
1.Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. All communications from Ministers and all suggestions, memoranda and representations received from various quarters in respect of matters pending before a Parliamentary Committee are addressed to the Speaker 2. The Secretary General of Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha is empowered to fix the date and time of a sitting of a Parliamentary Committee if the Chairman of that Committee is not readily available
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Correct Answer: B) 2 only Statement 1: INCORRECT ✗ Communications regarding matters before a Committee are addressed to the COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, NOT to the Speaker. Statement 2: CORRECT ✓ Rule 264: "The sittings of a Committee shall be held on such days and at such hour as the Chairperson of the Committee may fix: Provided that if the Chairperson of the Committee is not readily available, the Secretary-General may fix the date and time of a sitting"
2.Consider the following statements on Parliamentary Committees: 1. The quorum of a Committee shall be five. 2. The report of a Committee may be either preliminary or final. 3. Provided that where the Rajya Sabha has not fixed any time for the presentation of the report, the report shall be presented within one month of the date on which reference to the Committee was made.
- A.1, 2 and 3
- B.1 and 2 only
- C.3 only
- D.2 and 3 only
Explanation
Correct Answer: D) 2 and 3 only Statement 1: INCORRECT ✗ Rule 259(1): "The quorum to constitute a sitting of a Committee shall be, as near as may be, one-third of the total number of members of the Committee." Quorum is ONE-THIRD of total members, NOT fixed at five. It varies depending on committee size. Statement 2: CORRECT ✓ Committee may present either preliminary (interim) or final report depending on the nature and stage of examination. Statement 3: CORRECT ✓ When Rajya Sabha has not fixed time for presentation of report, the report shall be presented within one month of the date of reference to the Committee.
3.Consider the following statements relating to Business Advisory Committee of the Lok Sabha: 1. The Speaker acts as its Chairman. 2. The Deputy Speaker acts as its Chairman. 3. It allocates time for various Bills and determines priority of items to be discussed in the House. 4. Its Chairman is nominated by the Speaker.
- A.1 and 3
- B.2 and 3
- C.1 only
- D.3 and 4
Explanation
Correct Answer: A) 1 and 3 Statement 1: CORRECT ✓ Rule 287: "At the commencement of the House or from time to time, as the case may be, the Speaker may nominate a Committee called the Business Advisory Committee consisting of not more than fifteen members including the Speaker who shall be the Chairperson of the Committee." Speaker is ex-officio Chairperson. Statement 2: INCORRECT ✗ Deputy Speaker is NOT the Chairman. The SPEAKER is the Chairperson as per Rule 287. Statement 3: CORRECT ✓ Rule 288(1): "It shall be the function of the Committee to recommend the time that should be allocated for the discussion of the stage or stages of such Government Bills and other business as the Speaker, in consultation with the Leader of the House, may direct for being referred to the Committee." Statement 4: INCORRECT ✗ The Chairman is the Speaker ex-officio, not nominated separately.
4.Which one among the following statements relating to Committee on Absence of Members from the Sittings of the House in the Lok Sabha is correct?
- A.The Committee examines the case where a Member has been absent for a period of sixty days without permission
- B.The Committee can recommend leave for less than seventy-five days
- C.The Committee can grant leave on the verbal request of a Member
- D.The Committee meeting is held in camera
Explanation
Correct Answer: A) Committee examines 60 days absence without permission Constitutional Reference: Article 101(4): "If for a period of sixty days a member of either House of Parliament is without permission of the House absent from all meetings thereof, the House may declare his seat vacant." Rule References: Rule 242(1): "A member desiring permission of the House to remain absent from the sittings thereof under clause (4) of article 101 of the Constitution shall make an application in writing to the Speaker." Rule 242(2) (Proviso): "leave of absence applied for at any one time shall not exceed a period of sixty days." The Committee examines absence without permission (60 days rule), recommends to House whether to declare seat vacant, and requires a WRITTEN application, not a verbal request.
5.Consider the following statements relating to the Committee on Absence of Members from the sittings of the Lok Sabha: 1. The Committee recommends to the House the period of leave to be granted to the Member. 2. The Committee grants leave to the Member. 3. This is a Standing Parliamentary Committee. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.1 and 3 only
- C.1, 2 and 3
- D.3 only
Explanation
Correct Answer: B) 1 and 3 only Statement 1: CORRECT ✓ Rule 326(1): "The functions of the Committee shall be:— (i) to consider all applications from members for leave of absence from the sittings of the House; and (ii) to examine every case where a member has been absent for a period of sixty days or more, without permission..." Rule 327: "Where the Committee recommends that leave of absence be granted to a member or the absence be condoned, as the case may be, the pleasure of the House shall be taken by the Speaker..." The Committee only RECOMMENDS; it does not GRANT leave itself. Statement 2: INCORRECT ✗ The Committee cannot grant leave. It only RECOMMENDS to the House. The HOUSE grants leave based on the Committee's recommendation. Statement 3: CORRECT ✓ Rule 325: "The Committee on Absence of Members from the sittings of the House shall consist of fifteen members nominated by the Speaker and shall hold office for a term not exceeding one year." It is a Standing Parliamentary Committee nominated by the Speaker.
6.The term of office of members of the Committee on Public Accounts of the Parliament is for
- A.five years
- B.one year
- C.two years
- D.three years
Explanation
Correct Answer: B) one year Rule Reference: Rule 309(1): "The Committee shall consist of not more than 22 members comprising 15 members who shall be elected by the House every year from amongst its members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and not more than 7 members of Rajya Sabha to be nominated by that House for being associated with the Committee..." Rule 309(2): "The term of office of members of the Committee shall not exceed one year."
7.The Committee on Public Accounts consists of
- A.15 members from the Lok Sabha and 7 members from the Rajya Sabha
- B.20 members from the Lok Sabha and 20 members from the Rajya Sabha
- C.20 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 members from the Rajya Sabha
- D.30 members from the Lok Sabha and 15 members from the Rajya Sabha
Explanation
Correct Answer: A) 15 members from the Lok Sabha and 7 members from the Rajya Sabha Rule Reference: Rule 309(1): "The Committee shall consist of not more than 22 members comprising 15 members who shall be elected by the House every year from amongst its members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and not more than 7 members of Rajya Sabha to be nominated by that House for being associated with the Committee." Lok Sabha members: 15 (elected) | Rajya Sabha members: 7 (nominated) | Total: 22 members.
8.Which of the following statements about Departmentally Related Standing Committees of the Parliament is correct?
- A.They are chaired by the Minister-in-Charge of the Department concerned
- B.Some of these Committees are serviced by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, while others are serviced by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat
- C.The term of the members of these Committees is coterminous with their term as a Member of the Parliament
- D.The Demands for Grants of a Ministry/Department must be examined by the related Committee before it is presented to the Parliament
Explanation
Correct Answer: B) Some Committees serviced by Lok Sabha Secretariat, others by Rajya Sabha Secretariat Rule Reference: Rule 331D(3): "The Chairperson of Committees as specified in Part I of Fifth Schedule shall be appointed by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha and Chairperson of Committees as specified in Part II of the said Schedule shall be appointed by the Speaker, from amongst the members of the Committees." Rule 331J: general rules applicable in Rajya Sabha apply to Part-I Committees and those applicable in Lok Sabha apply to Part-II Committees. Other statements are INCORRECT: NOT chaired by a Minister (Rule 331D(2)); term is ONE YEAR, not coterminous (Rule 331D(4)); examining Demands is not a mandatory pre-condition to presentation (Rule 331E).