Committee on Petitions
Committee on Petitions explained: composition, functions, and how it lets citizens and associations raise grievances on Bills before Parliament.
At a glance
A standing parliamentary committee ('Committees to Inquire' category) that examines petitions on Bills and public matters.
Lok Sabha committee: 15 members. Rajya Sabha committee: 10 members.
Gives citizens and associations a formal, committee-based channel to raise grievances before Parliament.
Committee on Petitions is a parliamentary standing committee that gives citizens, associations, and members a formal channel to bring grievances and objections on Bills or matters of general public importance directly before the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. It works on a continuous basis, being constituted afresh in each House, rather than being wound up once a single task is finished.
Where It Fits in the Committee System
Parliamentary committees are broadly of two kinds — Standing Committees, which are permanent and work continuously, and Ad Hoc Committees, which are temporary and cease once their assigned task is done. Standing committees are further grouped into six categories by the nature of their work:
| Category | Illustrative committees |
|---|---|
| Financial Committees | Public Accounts Committee, Estimates Committee, Committee on Public Undertakings |
| Department-Related Standing Committees | 24 committees covering all central ministries |
| Committees to Inquire | Committee on Petitions, Committee of Privileges |
| Committees to Scrutinise and Control | Committee on Government Assurances and others |
| Committees Relating to Day-to-Day Business | Business Advisory Committee and others |
| House-Keeping / Service Committees | General Purposes Committee, House Committee, and others |
The Committee on Petitions belongs to the "Committees to Inquire" category, alongside the Committee of Privileges, because its work centres on examining specific matters referred or represented to it rather than on routine financial or legislative scrutiny.
Composition
Each House maintains its own Committee on Petitions. The Lok Sabha's committee has 15 members, while the Rajya Sabha's committee has 10 members. The two committees function independently, each serviced by its own House secretariat.
Functions
The committee examines petitions on Bills pending before the House as well as petitions concerning matters of general public importance. Beyond formal petitions tied to specific legislation, it also entertains representations from individuals and associations on subjects falling within Union jurisdiction, offering a structured, committee-based route for public grievances distinct from the ordinary devices of questions, motions, or debates on the floor of the House.
How It Differs from Consultative Committees
A body is treated as a genuine "parliamentary committee" only if it is appointed or elected by the House (or nominated by the Speaker/Chairman), functions under the direction of the presiding officer, submits its report to the House or the presiding officer, and has a secretariat provided by the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. Consultative committees — informal groups of MPs attached to individual ministries for policy discussion with the minister concerned — do not satisfy these conditions and are therefore not classified as parliamentary committees, unlike the Committee on Petitions, which meets all four tests.
UPSC Relevance
- Prelims: The exact membership figures (15 in Lok Sabha, 10 in Rajya Sabha) and the category ("Committees to Inquire") are classic factual-recall points, often tested by asking candidates to match committees to their correct category or to compare membership strength across committees.
- Mains: Useful in GS2 answers on parliamentary mechanisms for public accountability and citizen participation, where the Committee on Petitions can be cited as an institutional, if lesser-known, channel for grievance redress that operates alongside the more visible legislative and financial committees.
FAQ
Q1. What does the Committee on Petitions examine? It examines petitions on Bills and on matters of general public importance, and also entertains representations from individuals and associations on Union subjects.
Q2. How many members does the Committee on Petitions have? The Lok Sabha committee has 15 members; the Rajya Sabha committee has 10 members.
Q3. Which broader category of parliamentary committees does it belong to? It belongs to the "Committees to Inquire" category, along with the Committee of Privileges.
Q4. Is the Committee on Petitions the same kind of body as a consultative committee? No. Consultative committees do not meet the four defining conditions of a parliamentary committee (appointment by the House/Speaker, working under the presiding officer's direction, reporting to the House, and having a House secretariat), so they are not parliamentary committees, unlike the Committee on Petitions.
Q5. Is the Committee on Petitions a standing or an ad hoc committee? It is a standing committee — permanent and reconstituted periodically, working on a continuous basis.
Quick Revision
- Category: Committees to Inquire (with Committee of Privileges).
- Lok Sabha strength: 15 members; Rajya Sabha strength: 10 members.
- Function: examines petitions on Bills and matters of general public importance; entertains representations on Union subjects.
- Consultative committees fail the four-condition test and are not parliamentary committees.
Sources
Further Reference
For deeper reading on this topic and the wider polity syllabus, these standard works are recommended:
- M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity (McGraw Hill) — the standard UPSC handbook.
- D.D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India (LexisNexis) — authoritative constitutional-law treatment.
- The Constitution of India — Bare Act — the official text.
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