Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju addresses the 7th North East Students’ Festival, in New Delhi, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Days after the Trinamool Congress claimed delay in the constitution of parliamentary committees, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said the Mamata Banerjee-led party was yet to share details of its nominees to the panels.
Addressing a press conference here, Rijiju, who is the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said those questioning the government only have the desire to remain in the news.
TMC leader Derek O’Brien had said parliamentary committees have not been formed even 100 days after the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Rijiju said the government had sent details about the allocation of parliamentary committees to the offices of the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman after consultations with political parties.
The minister said the chairmanship of parliamentary committees is decided based on the numbers each political party has in parliament.
The consultations in this regard are led by the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry and the outcome is conveyed to the presiding officers of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha who then notify the constitution of the committees.
Of the 24 department-related standing committees, 16 are chaired by members of the Lok Sabha and eight by members of the Rajya Sabha.
"We have also conveyed the details about allocation of chairmanship of committees to political parties (to Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha chairman)," the minister said.
He said the respective political parties have to inform the parliament secretariat of the names of the leaders chairing the committees.
"All parties have conveyed the names of their leaders. Those who have not submitted the names are questioning the delay in constituting committees," Rijiju said.
He said since 2004, the department-related standing committees have been constituted by the end of September.
"If we do not constitute committees for one year then question us," Rijiju said.
The three financial committees -- Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Estimates, and Committee on Public Undertakings -- have been constituted and started functioning.
Rijiju said the consultative committees of various ministries and ad-hoc committees of parliament will also be constituted soon.