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