Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has finalized the leadership for India’s parliamentary watchdogs, reappointing Congress MP KC Venugopal to chair the influential Public Accounts Committee for 2026-27. BJP’s Baijayant Panda gets the prestigious role of Chairperson for the Committee on Public Undertakings, signaling cross-party collaboration in oversight functions.
The PAC, tasked with auditing government expenditures, now has a 21-member roster: 15 Lok Sabha MPs such as TR Baalu, Kalyan Banerjee, Nishikant Dubey, Jagdambika Pal, Jay Prakash, Ravi Shankar Prasad, CM Ramesh, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Aparajita Sarangi, Amar Singh, Tejasvi Surya, Anurag Singh Thakur, Balashowri Vallabhaneni, KC Venugopal, and Dharmendra Yadav. Six Rajya Sabha members join them: Ashokrao Chavan, K Lakshman, Prafulla Patel, Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, and Sudhanshu Trivedi.
The Public Undertakings Committee, with 22 members (15 Lok Sabha, 7 Rajya Sabha), will examine state-owned enterprises under Panda’s guidance. Faggan Singh Kulaste of BJP heads the 30-member SC/ST Welfare Committee, while Sanjay Jaiswal chairs the Estimates Committee, both with 20 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha members.
This strategic selection reflects the Speaker’s commitment to diverse expertise. These panels will scrutinize budgets, corporate governance in PSUs, and welfare schemes, potentially influencing policy directions in the coming year. As opposition and treasury benches unite in these roles, expect thorough reviews that could shape India’s fiscal landscape.
