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Current General Studies Magazine: "Committee on Public Accounts" March + April 2015

Current General Studies Magazine (March + April 2015)

General Studies - II "Polity Based Article" (Committee on Public Accounts)

Composition

The Public Accounts Committee consists of fifteen members elected by Lok Sabha every year from amongst its members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. Seven members of Rajya Sabha elected by that House in like manner are associated with the Committee. This system of election ensures that each Party/Group is represented on the Committee in proportion to its respective strength in the two Houses.

Process of Election

In April each year a motion is moved in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs or Chairman of the Committee, if in office, calling upon members of the House to elect from amongst themselves 15 members to the Public Accounts Committee. After the motion is adopted, a programme, fixing the dates for filing the nominations/withdrawal of candidatures and the election, if necessary, is notified in Lok Sabha Bulletin Part-II. On receipt of nominations, a list of persons who have filed nomination papers is put up on the Notice Boards. In case the number of members nominated is equal to the number of members to be elected, then, after expiry of time for withdrawal of candidatures, the members nominated are declared elected and the result published in Bulletin Part-II. If the number of members nominated after withdrawals is more than number of members to be elected, election is held on the stipulated date and result of election published in Bulletin Part-II.

Association of Members of Rajya Sabha

Another motion is moved in Lok Sabha recommending to Rajya Sabha to nominate seven members of that House for being associated with the Committee. After adoption, the motion is transmitted to Rajya Sabha through a Message. Rajya Sabha holds election of members to the Committee and the names of members elected are communicated to Lok Sabha.

Appointment of Chairman

The Chairman of the Committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst the members of Lok Sabha elected to the Committee.

As a convention, starting from the Public Accounts Committee of 1967-68, a member of the Committee belonging to the main opposition party/group in the House is appointed as the Chairman of the Committee.
Minister not to be Member of Committee

A Minister is not eligible to be elected as a member of the Committee and if a member, after his election to the Committee, is appointed as a Minister, he ceases to be a member of the Committee from the date of such appointment.

Term of Office

The term of office of members of the Committee does not exceed one year at a time.

Association of Members with Government Committees

A member, on his election to the Committee, has to communicate to the office of the Committee, the particulars regarding the various Committees appointed by Government with which he is associated, for being placed before the Speaker. Where the Speaker considers it inappropriate that a member should continue to serve on the Government Committee, the member is required to resign membership of the Committee constituted by Government. Where the Speaker permits a member to continue to hold membership of Government Committee, he may require that the report of the Government Committee shall be placed before the Committee on Public Accounts for such comments as the latter Committee may deem fit to make, before it is presented to Government. Whenever the Chairman or any member of the Committee on Public Accounts is invited to accept membership of any Committee constituted by Government, the matter is likewise to be placed before the Speaker before the appointment is accepted.

Functions of the Committee

The Public Accounts Committee examines the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the expenditure of the Government of India, the Annual Finance Accounts of the Government of India and such other accounts laid before the House as the Committee may think fit. Apart from the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Appropriation Accounts of the Union Government, the Committee also examines the various Audit Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General on revenue receipts, expenditure by various Ministries/ Departments of Government and accounts of autonomous bodies. The Committee, however, does not examine the accounts relating to such public undertakings as are allotted to the Committee on Public Undertakings.

While scrutinising the Appropriation Accounts of the Government of India and the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon, it is the duty of the Committee to satisfy itself—

that the money shown in the accounts as having been disbursed were legally available for and applicable to the service or purpose to which they have been applied or charged;
that the expenditure conforms to the authority which governs it; and
that every re-appropriation has been made in accordance with the provisions made in this behalf under rules framed by competent authority.

An important function of the Committee is to ascertain that money granted by Parliament has been spent by Government “within the scope of the demand”. The functions of the Committee extend “beyond the formality of expenditure to its wisdom, faithfulness and economy”. The Committee thus examines cases involving losses, nugatory expenditure and financial irregularities.

While scrutinising the Reports of Comptroller and Auditor General on Revenue Receipts, the Committee examines various aspects of Government’s tax administration. The Committee, thus, examine cases involving under-assessments, tax-evasion, non-levy of duties, mis-classifications etc., identifies loopholes in the taxation laws and procedures and make recommendations in order to check leakage of revenue.

Regularisation of Excess Expenditure

If any money has been spent on any service during the financial year in excess of the amount granted by the House for the purpose, the Committee examines the same with reference to the facts of each case, the circumstances leading to such an excess and make such recommendations as it may deem fit. Such excesses are thereafter required to be brought up before the House by Government for regularisation in the manner envisaged in article 115 of the Constitution. In order to facilitate speedy regularisation of such expenditure by Parliament, the Committee presents a consolidated report relating to all Ministries/ Departments expeditiously.

Selection of Subject for Examination

As the work of the Committee is normally confined to the various matters referred to in the Audit Reports, and Appropriation Accounts, its work normally starts after the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the accounts of the Government are laid on the Table of the House. As soon as the Committee for a year is constituted, it selects paragraphs from the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General that were presented after the last selection of subjects by the Committee for in-depth examination during its term of office.

Assistance by Comptroller and Auditor General

The Committee is assisted by the Comptroller and Auditor General in the examination of Accounts and Audit Reports.

Constitution of Working Groups/Sub-Committees

A number of Working Groups/Sub-Committees are constituted by the Chairman from amongst the members of the Committee to facilitate the examination of the subjects selected by the Committee and for considering procedural matters. A Sub-Committee is also constituted for scrutiny of action taken by Government on the recommendations contained in the previous reports of the Committee.

Calling for Information from Government

The Committee calls for, in the first instance, background note and advance information from the Ministries/Departments concerned in regard to subjects selected by it for examination.

Study Tours

The Committee undertakes on the spot study tours/visits of various Departments/Establishments connected with the subjects taken up for examination and hold discussions with the representatives of the concerned official/non-official organisations located at the place of visit. Each study tour is undertaken with the specific approval of the Speaker.

Evidence of Officials

The Committee later takes oral evidence of the representatives of the Ministries/Departments concerned with the subjects under examination.

Ministers not called before Committee

A Minister is not called before the Committee either to give evidence or for consultation in connection with the examination of Accounts by the Committee. The Chairman of the Committee may, however, when considered necessary but after its deliberations are concluded, have an informal talk with the Minister concerned to apprise him of (a) any matters of policy laid down by the Ministry with which the Committee does not fully agree; and (b) any matters of secret and confidential nature which the Committee would not like to bring on record in its report.

Report and Minutes

The conclusions of the Committee on a subject are contained in its Report, which, after its adoption by the Committee, is presented by the Chairman to the Lok Sabha. Minutes of the sittings of the Committee form Part II of the Report. A copy of the Report is also laid on the Table of Rajya Sabha. The Reports of the Committee are adopted by consensus among members. Accordingly, there is no system of appending minute of dissent to the Report.

Action Taken on Reports

After presentation to the Lok Sabha, copies of the Report are forwarded to the Ministry or Department concerned which is required to take action on the recommendations and observations contained in the Report and furnish action taken replies thereon within six months from the presentation of the Report.

Action taken notes received from the Ministries/ Departments are examined by the Action Taken Sub-Committee/Committee and Action Taken Reports of the Committee are presented to the House. A copy of the Report is also laid on the Table of Rajya Sabha.

Statements of action taken on Action Taken Reports

Replies received from Government in respect of recommendations contained in the Action Taken Reports after approval by the Chairman are also laid on the Table of Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha in the form of Statements.

(Source- Lok Sabha of India)