Centre May Extend Committees’ Term to 2 Years
The central government is considering extending the tenure of parliamentary standing committees from the current one year to two years. The move is aimed at ensuring continuity and allowing committees to examine bills, policies, and reports in greater depth.
Current Term Expiry
Most standing committees are scheduled for reconstitution as their one-year term ended on September 26, 2025. Under the proposed plan, their terms would instead last two years before fresh appointments are made.
Benefit for Tharoor
The change carries political significance for Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who chairs the External Affairs Committee. If approved, he could retain his post for two more years, despite recent disagreements within his party. Leadership posts across committees are also expected to remain stable under the new proposal.
Arguments & Challenges
Supporters of the idea argue that longer tenure helps committees build subject expertise and complete oversight work more effectively. Critics, however, caution that reduced frequency of reshuffles could limit accountability and concentrate power in the hands of current chairs. The final decision will require cross-party agreement since committees include both ruling and opposition MPs.
