Public Accounts Committee

Why in news?

• Public Accounts Committee is going on a four-day tour of Srinagar, Kargil, Leh and Drass in connection with a CAG report on delays in the procurement of high altitude clothing and equipment items for Indian Army

About Public Accounts Committee:

• The committee was setup first in 1921 under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1919 and has since been in existence.
• At present, it consists of 22 members (15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha).
• The members are elected by the Parliament every year from amongst its members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. Thus, all parties get due representation in it.
• The term of office of the members is one year.
• A minister cannot be elected as a member of the committee.
• The chairman of the committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst its members.
• Until 1966–67, the chairman of the committee belonged to the ruling party. However, since 1967 a convention has developed whereby the chairman of the committee is selected invariably from the Opposition.

Functions of the Committee are:

• The function of the committee is to examine the annual audit reports of the comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG), which are laid before the Parliament by the president.
• The CAG submits three audit reports to the president, namely, audit report on appropriation accounts, audit report on finance accounts and audit report on public undertakings.
• The committee examines public expenditure not only from legal and formal point of view to discover technical irregularities but also from the point of view of economy, prudence, wisdom and propriety to bring out the cases of waste, loss, corruption, extravagance, inefficiency and nugatory expenses.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements regarding Public Accounts Committee:

1. The members of the committee are nominated by President of India

2. The chairman of the committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst its members.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer