ISLAMABAD - The oversight role of the parliamentary committees of the Upper House of the Parliament is at stand still for a month as Chairman Senate Nayyar Hussain Bukhari has yet to notify all the Senate committees that stood dissolved on March 12.
However, the parliamentary sources are of the view that the chairman Senate would have to form and notify, at least, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance before the presentation of the budget for next fiscal 2012-13 in the both the Houses of the Parliament during May. The formation of other committees might take two month, they added. After the passage of 18th Amendment, the Senate could give its recommendations to the Lower house of the Parliament on the budget and the House scrutinises these recommendations through the Finance Committee.
All the committees including standing committees, functional as well as special committees of the Senate automatically stood dissolved on March 12 when half of the members of the House retired after completing their full six-year term. According to rules of business of the House, all the parliamentary committees of the House stand dissolved when half the members of the Senate retire after every three years. According to the Senate Secretariat sources, the major delay in the formation of new committees of the House is because of the non-seriousness of a number of legislators who have not given their option in written to become the members of the committees. The Senate Secretariat before the notification of new committees seeks options from the lawmakers to become member of committees on the basis of their expertise.
Around 31 parliamentary committees of the Senate including 25 standing committees, three functional committees and three special committees were dissolved on March 12. According to amended rules of business of the House, the Chairmanship of the Committees shall be allocated by the Chairman in accordance with proportional strength of political parties and independent groups in the House.
Newly passed Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 2012 say that each standing committee shall consist of not less than twelve members and no more than fifteen members to be elected by the Senate. Similarly, a member shall not be a member of more than four standing committees/functional committees at the same time.
Under the rules regarding functions of the committees, the standing committee shall examine a Bill, subject or matter referred to it by the Senate or the Chairman, as the case may be, with such recommendations including suggestions for legislation, if any, as it may deem necessary. A committee may examine suo motu the expenditures, administration, delegated legislation, public petitions and policies of the ministry concerned and its attached corporations and public bodies and may call for views of the ministry.