Govt Weighs Reconstituting, Extending Terms Of Parliamentary Standing Committees

The government is considering reconstituting the parliamentary standing committees soon, with the possibility of extending their tenure.

Currently, these committees are formed annually. However, several MPs, including members from the opposition, have urged the government to extend the term to at least two years, arguing that a single year does not allow adequate time to complete in-depth studies of selected subjects.

Sources indicate that the proposal is under active consideration. If approved, members could be appointed to committees for two years starting this session. While most chairpersons are expected to continue, the government may rotate members across committees based on individual requests. The proposal, which is currently being considered

by the government, is likely to be discussed with both the Rajya Sabha chairman and the Lok Sabha speaker for final approval. Presiding officers of both houses are considered the final authority on matters concerning parliamentary committees.

Sources also said that the government is unlikely to alter the membership of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor as the chairperson of the external affairs committee, despite his recent uneasy relations with his party. The final decision on his reappointment, though, lies with his party, the Congress.

It is unlikely that there will be any exchange of committee heads between the opposition and the ruling side. The government has indicated in the past that top committees like home, defence, and finance are non-negotiable. Committees like IT and communication are also unlikely to be available for swapping.

Consideration may be given to whether some current committee chairpersons would be available to lead the panels if their terms are extended for up to two years. This is particularly relevant for some members who are set to retire next year.

Congress lawmaker in the Rajya Sabha, Digvijaya Singh, is set to retire in June next year. Chairman of the committee for health and family welfare, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, is set to retire in November 2026. Bhuvaneshwar Kalita, BJP MP from Assam, retires in April 2026. He chairs the panel for science and technology. Former director general of police from Uttar Pradesh and BJP MP Brij Lal chairs the committee for law and justice, with his term as a Rajya Sabha member ending in November 2026.

A parliamentary standing committee is a permanent body comprising a fixed number of members of Parliament (MPs) drawn from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. In India, these committees play a crucial role in examining legislation and government policies, reviewing budget proposals, and ensuring accountability of ministries by conducting inquiries and collecting evidence on specific areas of governance. In the absence of a session, parliamentary committees are seen as mini-parliaments themselves.