Why is there a demand for a JPC?

A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is a special committee set up by Parliament for the detailed scrutiny of a subject or Bill. To set up a JPC, a motion is passed in one House and supported by the other House. Another way to form a JPC is for the two presiding chiefs of both Houses to communicate with each other to institute one

Composition: A JPC comprises members of both ruling and Opposition parties, from both Houses of Parliament.

Mandate: A JPC's mandate is decided during the motion. The committee is authorised to collect evidence in oral or written form or demand documents related to the matter. If a witness fails to appear before the JPC, his conduct amounts to contempt of the House. The proceedings and findings of the committee are confidential, except in matters of public interest. The JPC is dissolved when the task is completed.

Power: JPC recommendations have persuasive value but the committee cannot force the government to take any action. The government may decide to launch fresh investigations on a JPC report. It is required to report on the follow-up action taken on the recommendations of the JPC and other panels. The panels then submit ‘Action Taken Reports’ in Parliament based on the government’s reply. These reports can be discussed in Parliament and the government can be questioned.

Past JPCs: JPCs have been set up several times to probe various matters, including the Bofors scandal (1987), the Harshad Mehta stock market scam (1992), the Ketan Parekh share market scam (2001), the soft drink pesticide issue (2003), the 2G spectrum case (2011) and the VVIP chopper scam (2013). They have also been formed to examine several Bills and crucial issues such as the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013; the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2015; the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017; the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019; the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021; and the Office of Profit, 2022.