"Department-related Standing Committees serve as the institutional backbone of legislative scrutiny, yet their potential remains underutilised." Critically analyse the challenges faced by Parliamentary Committees in ensuring executive accountability in India.

DRSC as institutional backbone

(1) Thorough scrutiny of Bills

• e.g. Waqf Bill

(2) Holding executive accountable

• e.g. Testimony of foreign Secy post Operation Sindoor

(3) Building cross party consensus

• e.g. ONOE Bill in standing committee

(4) Avoiding Hasty legislation

• e.g. 3 criminal Reforms Bills

(5) Ensuring checks and Balances and upholding of Article 75

Challenges faced

1. Decline in number of Bills referred to Standing committee

1. Non-attendance of the members (PRS - only 60% members are generally present)

2. Lack of Technical Expertise of the members

3. Politicisation of committees e.g. waqf Bill debates

4. Short tenure - only 1 year of the member

5. Government majority & chairperson in the committee

6. Fall in time spent for analysis of Bills by committee

7. Lack of assistance → technical & secretarial by Parliamentary Secretariat.

8. Recommendation → ignored in the house.

Way forward

(A) Venkaiah Naidu (Ex-VP)

1. Research support to members
2. Technical training to standing committee
3. Increasing tenure to 3 or 5 years for SC.

(B) NCRCW 4. Mandatory sending of Bills to Standing Committee 5. Statement of Reason for non-acceptance of Demand.