An average of 53% of members have attended meetings of Parliament’s 16 department-related standing committees and the Public Accounts Committee to discuss various important issues since their reconstitution last September, according to data on the Lok Sabha website.
During this period, five meetings of these parliamentary committees were adjourned due to lack of quorum. A minimum of 11 members must be present to achieve a quorum.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi raises the issue of ensuring the participation of MPs in parliamentary committees.
According to the data, a meeting of the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology scheduled to discuss “self-sufficiency in the telecommunications manufacturing sector” was postponed due to lack of quorum.
On January 5, 2026, the meeting of the Standing Committee on Water Resources was adjourned due to lack of quorum. A discussion on “An overview of the functioning of WAPCOS Limited and NPCC Limited and their overall coordination in water management under PMKSY and other irrigation and flood control schemes” was scheduled.
The meeting of the Standing Committee on Water Resources was reportedly suspended on November 10 due to a lack of quorum.
Conservation, development, management and pollution abatement of the Ganga and its tributaries under the Namami Gange Program was planned to be discussed with special reference to project schedules as well as the performance of the State Governments; and an overview of the National River Protection Plan – Other Basins.
On April 22, the meeting of the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj was also postponed. At this meeting, representatives from the Department of Land Resources (Ministry of Rural Development), Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Mines were to brief the committee.
Also, the meeting of the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj was postponed to April 8 due to lack of quorum.
The Standing Committee of Parliament consists of 31 members — 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha.
The country’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has a total of 22 members comprising 15 MPs from the Lok Sabha and seven MPs from the Rajya Sabha.
High absenteeism
On average, nearly 47% of members were absent from meetings of 16 standing committees, including those for the ministries of agriculture, food and consumer affairs, chemicals and fertilisers, energy, social justice and empowerment.
According to statistics, the participation of members was better in the meetings of the Standing Committees on Railways, Oil and Gas, External Affairs and Finance.
At the meeting of the Standing Committee for External Relations held on February 10 this year, 28 members were present.
At this meeting, representatives of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Commerce briefed the committee on “current foreign policy developments”, including the India-US trade agreement, the India-EU FTA, India-Bangladesh relations, etc.
Only 13 members attended the meeting of the House Committee on External Relations held on 29 October 2025, and 11 members attended the meeting held on 30 October.
Only 12 members were present at the meeting of the House Standing Committee on Agriculture held on April 10.
Among the important topics discussed at the various meetings of the standing committees are the oral statements of representatives of the Ministry of Defense on the topic “Review of the activities of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) in the creation of infrastructure in strategic locations and border areas”.
It included a briefing by representatives of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy on the topic “Research and technological development in the sector of renewable energy sources”.
Topics such as “India-Sri Lanka relations and the way forward” were discussed during this period.
It included a briefing by the Foreign Secretary on “Recent Developments, including the Iran War and Indo-US Relations”.
Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also briefed members on the safety, security and repatriation of the diaspora during the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
A briefing was also held for representatives of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and central public sector enterprises on the topic “Marketing and Supply of Petroleum Products”.
During this period, representatives of the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) gave oral evidence on the subject of “Improving Public Facilities at Railway Stations”. Part of it was the discussion and adoption of the draft Report on Subsidy Requirements (2026-27) of the Ministry of Railways.
Published – 16 May 2026 22:16 IST
