Ahluwalia to head Lok Sabha Committee on Privileges

NEW DELHI: BJP leader SS Ahluwalia will head the Lok Sabha Committee on Privileges which has powers to recommend punishment if it finds that privilege of the House or of a member has been breached.

Besides announcing the composition of the 15-member Privileges Committee, the Lok Sabha Secretariat announced composition of eight other Parliamentary panels.

Out of the nine committees announced today, the Speaker will head the Committee on Rules, while members will elect the Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Salary and Allowances of members.

Out of the seven committees, BJP will head five, its NDA ally Shiv Sena one and CPI-M one.

The Committee on Absence of Members from Sittings will be headed by P Karuanakaran of CPI-M. The Committee considers all applications from members for leave of absence from the sittings of the House and examines every case where a member has been absent for a period of 60 days or more, without permission.

It makes recommendations with respect to each case as to whether the absence should be condoned or leave applied granted or whether the circumstances of the case justify that the House should declare the seat of the member vacant.

Bijoya Chakravarty (BJP) will head the Committee on Empowerment of Women. During the last Lok Sabha, one of the major issue considered by it was the security of women against the backdrop of the Delhi gangrape case.

The Committee on Government Assurances will be headed by Ramesh Pokhriyal (BJP), while Chandrakant Khaire (Shiv Sena) will head the Committee on Papers Laid.

The Committee on Petitions and the panel on Subordinate Legislation will be headed by Bhagatsingh Koshiyari (BJP) and Dilipkumar Gandhi respectively.