Composition
The Public Accounts Committee consists of fifteen Members elected by Lok Sabha every year from amongst its members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. Seven members of Rajya Sabha elected by that House in like manner are associated with the Committee. This system of election ensures that each Party/Group is represented on the Committee in proportion to its respective strength in the two Houses.
Process of Election
In April each year a motion is moved in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs or Chairman of the Committee, if in office, calling upon members of the House to elect from amongst themselves 15 members to the Public Accounts Committee. After the motion is adopted, a programme, fixing the dates for filing the nominations/withdrawal of candidatures and the election, if necessary, is notified in Lok Sabha Bulletin Part-II. On receipt of nominations, a list of persons who have filed nomination papers is put up on the Notice Boards.
In case the number of members nominated is equal to the number of members to be elected, then, after expiry of time for withdrawal of candidatures, the members nominated are declared elected and the result published in Bulletin Part-II. If the number of members nominated after withdrawals is more than number of members to be elected, election is held on the stipulated date and result of election published in Bulletin Part-II.
Association of Members of Rajya Sabha
Another motion is moved in Lok Sabha recommending to Rajya Sabha to nominate seven members of that House for being associated with the Committee. After adoption, the motion is transmitted to Rajya Sabha through a Message. Rajya Sabha holds election of members to the Committee and the names of members elected are communicated to Lok Sabha.
Appointment of Chairman
The Chairman of the Committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst the members of Lok Sabha elected to the Committee.
As a convention, starting from the Public Accounts Committee of 1967-68, a member of the Committee belonging to the main opposition party/group in the House is appointed as the Chairman of the Committee.
Minister not to be Member of Committee
A Minister is not eligible to be elected as a member of the Committee and if a member, after his election to the Committee, is appointed as a Minister, he ceases to be a member of the Committee from the date of such appointment.
Term of Office
The term of office of the members of the Committee is one year.
Association of Members with Government Committees
A member, on his election to the Committee, has to communicate to the office of the Committee, the particulars regarding the various Committees appointed by Government with which he is associated, for being placed before the Speaker. Where the Speaker considers it inappropriate that a member should continue to serve on the Government Committee, the member is required to resign membership of the Committee constituted by Government.
Where the Speaker permits a member to continue to hold membership of Government Committee, he may require that the report of the Government Committee shall be placed before the Committee on Public Accounts for such comments as the latter Committee may deem fit to make, before it is presented to Government. Whenever the Chairman or any member of the Committee on Public Accounts is invited to accept membership of any Committee constituted by Government, the matter is likewise to be placed before the Speaker before the appointment is accepted.
The Public Accounts Committee consists of fifteen Members elected by Lok Sabha every year from amongst its members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. Seven members of Rajya Sabha elected by that House in like manner are associated with the Committee. This system of election ensures that each Party/Group is represented on the Committee in proportion to its respective strength in the two Houses.
Process of Election
In April each year a motion is moved in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs or Chairman of the Committee, if in office, calling upon members of the House to elect from amongst themselves 15 members to the Public Accounts Committee. After the motion is adopted, a programme, fixing the dates for filing the nominations/withdrawal of candidatures and the election, if necessary, is notified in Lok Sabha Bulletin Part-II. On receipt of nominations, a list of persons who have filed nomination papers is put up on the Notice Boards.
In case the number of members nominated is equal to the number of members to be elected, then, after expiry of time for withdrawal of candidatures, the members nominated are declared elected and the result published in Bulletin Part-II. If the number of members nominated after withdrawals is more than number of members to be elected, election is held on the stipulated date and result of election published in Bulletin Part-II.
Association of Members of Rajya Sabha
Another motion is moved in Lok Sabha recommending to Rajya Sabha to nominate seven members of that House for being associated with the Committee. After adoption, the motion is transmitted to Rajya Sabha through a Message. Rajya Sabha holds election of members to the Committee and the names of members elected are communicated to Lok Sabha.
Appointment of Chairman
The Chairman of the Committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst the members of Lok Sabha elected to the Committee.
As a convention, starting from the Public Accounts Committee of 1967-68, a member of the Committee belonging to the main opposition party/group in the House is appointed as the Chairman of the Committee.
Minister not to be Member of Committee
A Minister is not eligible to be elected as a member of the Committee and if a member, after his election to the Committee, is appointed as a Minister, he ceases to be a member of the Committee from the date of such appointment.
Term of Office
The term of office of the members of the Committee is one year.
Association of Members with Government Committees
A member, on his election to the Committee, has to communicate to the office of the Committee, the particulars regarding the various Committees appointed by Government with which he is associated, for being placed before the Speaker. Where the Speaker considers it inappropriate that a member should continue to serve on the Government Committee, the member is required to resign membership of the Committee constituted by Government.
Where the Speaker permits a member to continue to hold membership of Government Committee, he may require that the report of the Government Committee shall be placed before the Committee on Public Accounts for such comments as the latter Committee may deem fit to make, before it is presented to Government. Whenever the Chairman or any member of the Committee on Public Accounts is invited to accept membership of any Committee constituted by Government, the matter is likewise to be placed before the Speaker before the appointment is accepted.