Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 27: The Centre is considering a proposal to extend the tenure of parliamentary standing committees from the current one year to two years, following suggestions from the Opposition to allow more thorough scrutiny of bills and policy matters, according to sources.

The tenure of the existing committees ends this month, and any change of chairpersons is unlikely at present. If approved, the move would carry political significance by giving a boost to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who chairs the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs. Appointed on September 26 last year, an extension would enable Tharoor to remain in the post for another two years despite his reported differences with his party leadership.

At present, there are 24 standing committees, each with 31 members—21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. These panels monitor proceedings, budgets, and policies of specific ministries and departments. Chairpersons are nominated by the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman, while members are chosen based on nominations from political parties.

Currently reconstituted annually, the committees often face disruptions in continuity when new members are inducted. Opposition MPs have long pressed for longer tenures, arguing that a two-year term would allow in-depth study of bills, reports, and key national issues without frequent reshuffles.