Delay in formation of Standing Committees: Govt says some Opposition parties yet to submit names

'Standing Committees were formed by September 15 in the last term; our government will do so by the end of this month. If we fail, we are open to criticism', union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said

New Delhi: As it faces criticism over the delay in formation of crucial Standing Committees, sources in the government said that some major Opposition parties are yet to decide and then convey names of their nominees for respective committees. An official said that the ministry had sent reminders last week.

On Wednesday, on the sidelines of a function, union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said that in the last two terms committees were formed at the same time, and that the government will form department-related Standing Committees and Consultative Committees soon.

“If you look closely, Standing Committees were formed by September 15 in the last term; our government will do so by the end of this month. If we fail, we are open to criticism,” Rijiju said at the Parliament Complex at a function where he was inaugurating a portal as well as a refurbished mobile app.

Sources in the government said that “major Opposition parties” have not yet communicated their nominees, and that last week, the ministry of parliamentary affairs had sent a reminder to the parties to send in replies. “The delay is due to the process of consultation not coming to an end; parties are yet to tell us and the government picks the blame,” a senior official said.

A senior Congress leader, however, said that the delay is due to the government. “We have asked them for the positions for Chairpersons in the department-related Standing Committees in Finance, External Affairs, Home and Health. If the minister looks into the records, he will find that all these positions were with the Opposition from 1993 to 2019. But they are not ready to accept that,” the senior party leader from the Lok Sabha said.

The government has faced criticism from the Opposition for the delay – last month, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien wrote a letter to the leader of the Rajya Sabha JP Nadda about the delay in the constitution of Committees.

In all, there are 24 committees which are tasked with overseeing the functioning of various ministries and departments of the government. Of these, 16 are headed by Lok Sabha members and eight by Rajya Sabha MPs.

While the Congress has sought to chair four committees, the government is offering three in the Lower House and one in Rajya Sabha. However, they are yet to agree on the committees.

BOX

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday inaugurated over six initiatives as part of the 100-day achievements of the ministry, including a portal and a refurbished mobile app. The National e-Vidhan Application 2.0 (NeVA 2.0), the Subordinate Legislation Management System, a Consultative Committee Management System, National Youth Parliament Scheme (NYPS) 2.0, and NYPS for Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) were launched.