CABINET COMMITTEE

Context:

• Cabinet Committee on security met to discuss the issues arising from the rise of Taliban.

 Constitutionality of the Cabinet Committees

• With the creation of a bicameral Parliament consisting of several representatives of the people, it was deemed desirable that the Cabinet should delegate the overall responsibility regarding detailed parliamentary matters to a small standing committee of the Cabinet, specialising in this task.
• They are extra-constitutional in emergence. In other words, they are not mentioned in the Constitution. However, the Rules of Business provide for their establishment.
• They are of two types–standing and ad hoc.
• The former are of a permanent nature while the latter are of a temporary nature.

Working of the Cabinet Committees

• The ad hoc committees are constituted from time to time to deal with special problems.
• They are disbanded after their task is completed.
• They are set up by the Prime Minister according to the exigencies of the time and requirements of the situation.
• Hence, their number, nomenclature, and composition varies from time to time.
• Their membership varies from three to eight.
• They usually include only Cabinet Ministers.
• However, the non-cabinet Ministers are not debarred from their membership.
• They not only include the Ministers in charge of subjects covered by them but also include other senior Ministers.
• They are mostly headed by the Prime Minister. Sometimes other Cabinet Ministers

List of cabinet committees

 In 1990’s there were 13 cabinet committees but now there are just 8

• Cabinet Committee on Political A airs
• Cabinet Committee on Economic A airs
• Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
• Cabinet Committee on Security
• Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary A airs
• Cabinet Committee on Accommodation
• Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth
• Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development

 Role and functions of cabinet committees

• The Political Affairs Committee deals with all policy matters pertaining to domestic and foreign a airs.
• The Economic Affairs Committee directs and coordinates governmental activities in the economic sphere.
• The Appointments Committee decides all higher level appointments in the Central
• Secretariat, Public Enterprises, Banks and Financial Institutions.

Parliamentary Affairs Committee looks after the progress of government business in the Parliament