Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)

A Joint Parliamentary Committee, or JPC, is a small group of MPs taken from both Houses of Parliament, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Parliament sets it up for a single task: to study a particular Bill in detail, or to investigate a particular matter such as a financial scam. When the task is over and the report is submitted, the JPC ends. So it is a temporary, or ad hoc, committee.

Why do we need it?

Parliament has more than 780 members and very little time. A full House cannot sit and read a long Bill line by line, call experts, or examine files. A small committee can. It is like a school sending a few students to study a problem in depth and then report to the whole class. Committee work also happens away from TV cameras, so members often discuss issues more calmly.

A JPC on a Bill also gives citizens, experts and affected groups a chance to share their views before the law is passed.

What is the legal basis?

The Constitution does not create JPCs by name. They come from the Rules of Procedure that each House makes under Article 118. For Bills, Rule 74 of the Lok Sabha Rules lets the member in charge of a Bill move a motion that it be sent to a Joint Committee of both Houses, with the Rajya Sabha's agreement. Article 105 protects what members say in Parliament and its committees, so they can speak freely there.

How is a JPC formed?

1. One House passes a motion to form the committee. It names its members and says what the committee must do.
2. The other House agrees to the motion (concurs) and names its own members.
3. Alternatively, the presiding officers of both Houses can agree with each other to set it up.

Who sits on it?

Parliament decides the size each time. By practice, the Lok Sabha has twice as many members as the Rajya Sabha (a 2:1 ratio). Seats are shared among parties roughly in proportion to their strength in each House. The chairperson is appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The quorum (minimum members present for a valid meeting) is usually one-third of total members.

What powers does it have?

• It can call officials, experts, organisations and members of the public to give evidence, orally or in writing.
• It can ask for documents. A witness who ignores its summons may face action for breach of privilege (contempt of Parliament).
• The government can refuse to share a document if it feels this would harm the safety or interest of the State. The Speaker decides disputes over evidence.
• Its meetings are private and its evidence is confidential until the report is presented.

What happens to its report?

The JPC presents its report to both Houses. Members who disagree can add dissent notes. The report is advisory, not binding. The government may accept, modify or reject its suggestions. For a Bill, the government often brings amendments based on the report before the Bill is passed.

Important JPCs in India

• Bofors deal (1987): The first JPC, on the purchase of guns from a Swedish company.
• Harshad Mehta securities scam (1992)
• Ketan Parekh stock market scam (2001)
• Pesticides in soft drinks (2003)
• 2G spectrum allocation (2011): A 30-member JPC.
• JPCs on Bills: Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019; Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (31 members: 21 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha); Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 on simultaneous elections; Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 (31 members: 21 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha).

Commonly confused concepts

• JPC vs Select Committee: A Select Committee has members from only one House. A JPC has members from both Houses.
• JPC vs Standing Committees: Standing Committees are permanent and are set up every year or for a full Lok Sabha term. Examples are the 24 Department-related Standing Committees (DRSCs) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). A JPC is ad hoc and ends after its task.
• JPC vs Public Accounts Committee (PAC): The PAC examines government spending using the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). It is permanent and has 22 members (15 Lok Sabha, 7 Rajya Sabha). A JPC is set up for one issue only.
• JPC vs Commission of Inquiry: A Commission of Inquiry is set up by the government under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, and is often headed by a judge. A JPC is set up by Parliament and has only MPs.
• JPC vs Joint Sitting (Article 108): A joint sitting is a meeting of all members of both Houses, called by the President to settle a deadlock on an ordinary Bill. A JPC is only a small committee and does not pass laws.

Issues, criticism and the way forward

• Party lines: Because seats follow party strength, reports often reflect the majority view. Many JPC reports have come with long dissent notes.
• Limited results: Critics point out that some scam JPCs did not lead to clear accountability. Supporters say they still brought facts into public view.
• Time and delays: JPCs on Bills often need extensions, which can delay laws. Others argue that careful study leads to better laws.
• Falling committee scrutiny: Studies by PRS Legislative Research show that a smaller share of Bills has been sent to committees in recent Lok Sabhas than in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009 to 2014).
• Way forward suggested by experts: Send more important Bills to committees by default; give committees research staff; hold wider public consultations, including outside Delhi; and make evidence public where possible to improve trust.

Concepts to Know

• Ad hoc committee: A temporary committee created for one specific job. It ends once the job is done.
• Motion: A formal proposal placed before a House for its decision.
• Concurrence: Agreement by the second House to a proposal passed by the first.
• Breach of privilege: Any act that obstructs Parliament, its members or committees in doing their work. The House can punish it.
• Dissent note: A written note in which committee members record why they disagree with the majority report.