What are Cabinet committees and why is the CCS the most important of them all?

What are Cabinet committees and why is the CCS the most important of them all?

Sub: Polity

Sec: Executive

Context:

While the allocation of portfolios is likely to be known soon, it is expected that the BJP — with 240 seats in Lok Sabha — will not cede the four big portfolios of Home, Defence, Finance, and External Affairs to its alliance partners, so it is able to retain its hold on the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

Cabinet Committees

• They are extra-constitutional in emergence.
• In other words, they are not mentioned in the Constitution. However, the Rules of Business provide for their establishment.

Background:

• Exercising powers vested by virtue of Article 77, the President has made the “The Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules”. The Rules stipulate that the business of the Government of India shall be transacted in the Ministries, Departments, Secretariats and Offices specified in the First Schedule to these rules (all of which are hereinafter referred to as “departments”). The distribution of subjects among the departments shall be as specified in the Second Schedule to these Rules. The manner in which the officers are required to help the Minister in discharge of his/her executive functions is governed by the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules. The Rules provide that all business allotted to a Department shall be disposed of by, or under general or special directions of, the Minister-in-charge, subject to certain limitations where consultation is required with other departments or where cases have to be submitted to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and its Committees or the President. These Rules also provide for the constitution of the following Standing Committees of the Cabinet and each Standing Committee shall consist of such Ministers as the Prime Minister may, from time to time, specify. As of now, these Committees are
• There are 8 cabinet committees –
  • Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
  • Cabinet Committee on Accommodation.
  • Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
  • Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.
  • Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs.
  • Cabinet Committee on Security.
  • Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth.
  • Cabinet Committee on Employment & Skill Development.

The Rules also provide for appointment of ad hoc Committees of Ministers for investigating and reporting to the Cabinet, and, if so authorized, for taking decisions on such matters. The Rules also stipulate that it shall be the responsibility of the Departmental Secretary, who shall be the administrative head thereof, to ensure observance of these Rules in the Department

The Prime Minister constitutes Standing Committees of the Cabinet and sets out the specific functions assigned to them. He can add or reduce the number of committees.

• In addition to cabinet committees, several Groups of Ministers (GoMs) are constituted to look into different issues/subjects.
• All committees except Cabinet Committee on Accommodation and Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs are headed by the Prime Minister.
• The committee is responsible for debates, discussions and appointments of/in the national security bodies.
• Major decisions with respect to the significant appointments, issues of national security, defence expenditure of India are taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
• CCS is chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
• The following are the members of the CCS:
  • Prime Minister
  • Minister of Defence
  • Minister of Home Affairs
  • Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs
  • Minister of External Affairs.

Why is CCS so important?

• With the Prime Minister helming it, the CCS has the ministers for Finance, Defence, Home Affairs and External Affairs as its members. It is responsible for debates, discussions and appointments of/ in the national security bodies. Major decisions with respect to the significant appointments, issues of national security, defence expenditure of India are taken by CCS.
• Besides dealing with defence related issues, the CCS also brainstorms on issues relating to law and order and internal security, and policy matters concerning foreign affairs on security-related issues. It also considers matters relating to atomic energy.
• The great importance of the CCS is the reason why it is expected that the BJP will resist the pressure from allies, including from crucial ones such as TDP and JDU, to cede any of these important portfolios.