LS elections outcome set to shift balance of parliamentary panels

The 2024 Lok Sabha election results are set to change the composition of the 24 department-related parliamentary standing committees due to the BJP’s decreased numbers and increased strength of the Opposition INDIA bloc.

By the end of the 17th Lok Sabha, Members of Parliament (MPs) of the BJP headed 16 of the 24 department-related standing committees, including the crucial ones on home, finance, external affairs and defence.

MPs of its allies, the Shiv Sena and Janata Dal (United), headed one each. Shiv Sena’s Prataprao Jadhav, now a Union minister of state with independent charge, had headed the panel on Communications and Information Technology while JD(U)’s Rajiv Ranjan, now in the Cabinet, headed the panel on Housing and Urban Affairs.

The Congress and its ally DMK headed two panels each. The MPs from the non-aligned YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) headed two panels.

The BJP’s dominance of these panels was due to its 303 MPs in the Lok Sabha and over 90 MPs in the Rajya Sabha.

Its numbers in the two Houses also meant that the BJP MPs were either in a majority within these panels, each with 31 members, including the chairperson, or close to a majority.

Of the 24 department-related standing committees, 16 are supervised by the Lok Sabha Speaker, and the rest are supervised by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

The increased numbers of the Opposition bloc would mean that their MPs are likely to head several more panels than the four that they did by the end of the term of the 17th LS. The BJP's allies, especially the JD(U) and Telugu Desam Party, could also get to head some of the panels.

In addition to the 24 standing committees, there are three financial committees -- Estimates Committee, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Public Undertakings Committee.

Until 1967, the ruling party headed the PAC, but an MP of the Opposition has headed it since then. In the 17th Lok Sabha, Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury chaired it. BJP MPs headed the other two. Even within the PAC, the BJP and the parties that were friendly to it had the majority.

There are also a dozen other parliamentary panels, such as the Business Advisory Committees of the two Houses, Committee on Privileges and the Joint Committee on Offices of Profit. The membership of all these committees would reflect the changed numbers in the Lok Sabha.