Parliament of India Rajya Sabha SECTIONAL MANUAL OF OFFICE PROCEDURE (SMOP) HOUSE COMMITTEE SECTIONS Rajya Sabha Secretariat (House Committee Sections) July, 2010 Parliament of India Rajya Sabha SECTIONAL MANUAL OF OFFICE PROCEDURE (SMOP) HOUSE COMMITTEE SECTIONS Rajya Sabha Secretariat House Committee Sections July, 2010 First Edition: July, 2010 ©Rajya Sabha Secretariat http://rajyasabha.nic.in Email: [email protected] Price: Rs. 70/- PREFACE Sectional Manuals of Office Procedure (SMOPs) for various Sections/Units in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat are being brought out for the first time to provide an overview of the working of different Sections/Units in the Secretariat and of the Section-specific procedure, adopted for disposal of work in a user-friendly format. This publication provides the procedure followed in disposal of various items of work dealt by the six House Committee Sections (Subordinate Legislation, Petitions, Government Assurances, COPLOT, Ethics and MPLADS) and Committee Co-ordination Section. The publication is intended to serve as a guide for the staff and officers dealing with day-to-day functioning of the concerned Committee Sections. 2. Adequate care has been taken to make the Manual comprehensive and up-to-date in all respect. It is hoped that the publication would be found useful by all those who are associated with various aspects of the working of the Sections of the Secretariat. 3. This publication is primarily for internal use in the Secretariat. Suggestions for improvement of this publication are welcome. NEW DELHI; V. K. AGNIHOTRI July, 2010 Secretary-General. CONTENTS Page Chapter-I: Committee Section (Subordinate Legislation) 1.1 Introduction and Functions 1.1.1 Genesis of the Committee ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 Constitution/Composition ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1.3 Functions/Mandate of the Committee ..................................................................................... 1-2 1.2 Responsibilities and Working Procedure 1.2.1 Responsibilities ......................................................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Laying of Rules and Notifications ........................................................................................... 2-3 1.2.3 Selection of Rules, Regulations, Orders, etc. for examination ............................................... 3 1.2.4 Session-wise Reports................................................................................................................ 3 1.2.5 Examination of the Rules etc. and Representations ............................................................... 3 1.2.6 Preparation of Index .................................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Record Management 1.3.1 Record Keeping ......................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.2 Closing, Recording and Classification of Records ................................................................. 3-4 1.3.3 Preparing of File for Record ..................................................................................................... 5 1.3.4 Retention Period for various types of Files ............................................................................ 5 Annexures ......................................................................................................................................... 6—22 Chapter-II: Committee Section (Petitions) 2.1 Responsibilities, Main Functions and System of working 2.1.1 Main Responsibility .................................................................................................................. 23 2.1.2 Work Relating to Representations ........................................................................................... 23 2.1.3 Work Relating to Petitions........................................................................................................ 23—24 2.1.4 Work Relating to General Purposes Committee ...................................................................... 24 2.1.5 Disposal of RTI applications .................................................................................................... 24 2.2 Common Procedure 2.2.1 Membership ............................................................................................................................... 24 2.2.2 Notices of Meetings of Committee .......................................................................................... 25 2.2.3 Arrangements at meeting venue............................................................................................... 25 2.2.4 Cancellation/Postponement ..................................................................................................... 25 2.2.5 Procedure during Meetings ...................................................................................................... 26 (i) (ii) Page 2.2.6 Evidence of officials and non-officials.................................................................................. 26 2.2.7 Evidence of State Governments’ officials ............................................................................. 26 2.2.8 Recording of Evidence ........................................................................................................... 26 2.2.9 Drawing up of Minutes........................................................................................................... 27 2.2.10 On-the-spot Study Tours by Committee................................................................................ 27—29 2.2.11 Preparation, Publication and Printing of Report ................................................................... 29-30 2.2.12 Action Taken Reports.............................................................................................................. 30 2.2.13 TA/DA Bills of Committee and Secretariat ............................................................................ 30 2.2.14 Allocation of Budgetary Grant and Updating of Budgetary position ................................. 30-31 2.2.15 Miscellaneous Work ............................................................................................................... 31 2.3 Internal Rules ........................................................................................................................................... 31-32 2.4 Practice and Precedents .......................................................................................................................... 32-33 2.5 Record Management 2.5.1 Register of Reports ................................................................................................................. 33 2.5.2 Register of Meetings .............................................................................................................. 33 2.5.3 Guard File of Committee and Sub-committee Membership .................................................. 33 2.5.4 Guard Files of Tours................................................................................................................ 33 2.5.5 Guard Files on Settlement of Tours’ Bills .............................................................................. 33 2.5.6 Guard File of Minutes ............................................................................................................. 33 2.5.7 Register for Refreshments Ordered ....................................................................................... 33 2.5.8 Register for weeding out of old files and records ................................................................ 33 2.5.9 Register for TA/DA for non-official witnesses ..................................................................... 33 2.5.10 Precedent Register .................................................................................................................. 33 2.5.11 Quarterly Statement on Petitions ........................................................................................... 33-34 2.5.12 Use of Committee Software ..................................................................................................... 34 Annexures ......................................................................................................................................... 35—44 Chapter-III: Committee Section (Government Assurances) 3.1 Constitution and Functions 3.1.1 Constitution and Quorum ......................................................................................................... 45 3.1.2 Functions/Mandate ................................................................................................................... 45-46 3.2 Working Procedure 3.2.1 Culling out of Assurances ........................................................................................................ 46 3.2.2 Transfer of Assurances ............................................................................................................ 46 3.2.3 Extension of time for fulfilment of Assurances ....................................................................... 46-47 3.2.4 Meetings of the Committee ...................................................................................................... 47-48 (iii) Page 3.2.5 Evidence