Ad Hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees can be divided into two categories, that is, Inquiry Committees and Advisory Committees.

1. Inquiry Committees are constituted from time to time, either by the two Houses on a motion adopted in that behalf, or by the Speaker / Chairman, to inquire into and report on specific subjects. For example:

(a) Committee on the Conduct of Certain Members during President’s Address

(b) Committee on Draft Five-Year Plan

(c) Railway Convention Committee4

(d) Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)

(e) Joint Committee on Bofors Contract

(f) Joint Committee on Fertilizer Pricing

(g) Joint Committee to Enquire into Irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions

(h) Joint Committee on Stock Market Scam

(i) Joint Committee on Security in Parliament Complex

(j) Committee on Provision of Computers to Members of Parliament, Offices of Political Parties and Officers of the Lok Sabha Secretariat

(k) Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex

(l) Committee on Installation of Portraits / Statues of National Leaders and Parliamentarians in Parliament

House Complex

(m) Joint Committee on Maintenance of Heritage Character and Development of Parliament House Complex

(n) Committee on Violation of Protocol Norms and Contemptuous Behaviour of Government Officers with Members of Lok Sabha

(o) Joint Committee to Examine Matters Relating to Allocation and Pricing of Telecom Licences and Spectrum

2. Advisory Committees include select or joint committees on bills, which are appointed to consider and report on particular bills. These committees are distinguishable from the other ad hoc committees in as much as they are concerned with bills and the procedure to be followed by them is laid down in the Rules of Procedure and the Directions by the Speaker / Chairman.

When a Bill comes up before a House for general discussion, it is open to that House to refer it to a Select Committee of the House or a Joint Committee of the two Houses. A motion to this effect has to be moved and adopted in the House in which the Bill comes up for consideration. In case the motion adopted is for reference of the Bill to a Joint Committee, the decision is conveyed to the other House, requesting the members to nominate members of the other House to serve on the Committee. The Select or Joint Committee considers the Bill clause by clause just as the two Houses do. Amendments to various clauses can be moved by members of the Committee. The Committee can also take evidence of associations, public bodies or experts who are interested in the Bill. After the Bill has thus been considered, the Committee submits its report to the House. Members who do not agree with the majority report may append their minutes of

dissent to the report.