Introduction
The Ethics Committee is a parliamentary committee concerned with maintaining and promoting ethical standards and proper conduct among Members of Parliament (MPs). It deals with matters relating to the ethical conduct of members, examines alleged violations of the Code of Conduct, and considers complaints concerning unethical behaviour by members.
The Ethics Committee is important because Parliament is not only a law-making institution but also an institution that is expected to maintain public confidence, accountability, transparency and standards of conduct.
There are separate Ethics Committees in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
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Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha
The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha was constituted in 2000.
It examines matters relating to the ethical conduct of members of the Lok Sabha. It also deals with complaints regarding alleged unethical conduct by members, subject to the rules and procedures of the House.
The Committee is constituted by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee consists of 15 members. Members are nominated by the Speaker, and the term of the Committee does not exceed one year.
The Committee has a Chairperson who is appointed by the Speaker.
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Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee was constituted in 1997.
It examines complaints relating to the unethical conduct of Members of Rajya Sabha and matters concerning the ethical standards expected from members.
The Committee consists of 10 members, who are nominated by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
The term of the Committee is one year.
The Chairperson of the Committee is appointed by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
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Main Functions of the Ethics Committee
The central responsibility of the Ethics Committee is to examine questions relating to the ethical conduct of Members of Parliament.
When a complaint is made against a member alleging unethical conduct, the Committee may examine the complaint according to the applicable parliamentary rules and procedures. It can examine relevant facts and circumstances and may seek information or clarification from the concerned member.
The Committee also considers whether the conduct of a member is inconsistent with the Code of Conduct or established ethical standards of Parliament.
After examining a matter, the Committee submits its report to the respective House. The House considers the report and takes the appropriate decision according to parliamentary procedure.
Thus, the Ethics Committee functions as an important mechanism for self-regulation and accountability within Parliament.
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Code of Conduct for Members
The Ethics Committee is closely associated with the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament.
A Code of Conduct establishes standards of behaviour expected from members while performing their parliamentary responsibilities. It is intended to prevent conduct that may undermine the dignity, integrity or credibility of Parliament.
Important ethical principles include:
- Maintaining the dignity of Parliament.
- Avoiding conflicts between public duties and private interests.
- Disclosing relevant interests where required.
- Avoiding misuse of parliamentary position.
- Refraining from conduct that may compromise public confidence in Parliament.
- Upholding integrity and transparency in parliamentary activities.
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Ethics Committee and Complaints Against Members
A complaint concerning the conduct of an MP may be referred to the Ethics Committee according to the rules of the concerned House.
The Committee examines the allegations and relevant evidence. The member concerned may be given an opportunity to explain or defend their position, depending on the applicable procedure.
After examination, the Committee prepares its findings and recommendations in a report.
It is important to understand that the Ethics Committee itself is not a court of law. It functions within the parliamentary framework, and the final decision on the Committee's recommendations rests with the concerned House according to its rules and constitutional powers.
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Ethics Committee and Conflict of Interest
One of the important areas connected with parliamentary ethics is conflict of interest.
A conflict of interest may arise when a member's private, financial or other interests could improperly influence—or appear to influence—the discharge of parliamentary responsibilities.
Parliamentary ethical rules seek to ensure that MPs place public interest above private interests and maintain transparency regarding relevant interests.
The Ethics Committee may therefore examine matters involving declarations of interests and conduct that raises questions about possible conflicts of interest, according to the applicable parliamentary rules.
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Ethics Committee and the Issue of Cash-for-Query
The issue of “cash-for-query” is an important example in discussions about parliamentary ethics.
It refers to allegations that a Member of Parliament accepted money or other benefits in exchange for raising questions in Parliament.
The issue raised serious concerns about the integrity of parliamentary proceedings and the misuse of parliamentary privileges.
Such cases demonstrate why mechanisms for maintaining ethical standards and examining alleged misconduct by MPs are important.
However, questions involving breach of parliamentary privilege may also fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee of Privileges, depending on the nature of the allegation and the action initiated by the House.
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Ethics Committee vs Committee of Privileges
These two committees are often confused in examinations.
Basis| Ethics Committee| Committee of Privileges
Main concern| Ethical conduct of MPs| Breach of parliamentary privilege
Focus| Code of Conduct and ethical standards| Rights, privileges and authority of the House
Nature| Ethical accountability| Parliamentary privilege and contempt
Lok Sabha members| 15| 15
Rajya Sabha members| 10| 10
Lok Sabha committee constituted by| Speaker| Speaker
Rajya Sabha committee constituted by| Chairman| Chairman
The distinction is important: Ethics Committee deals primarily with ethical conduct, whereas the Committee of Privileges deals primarily with breach of parliamentary privileges.
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Ethics Committee vs Public Accounts Committee
The Ethics Committee should also be distinguished from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The PAC is primarily concerned with financial accountability and government expenditure, including examination of the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The Ethics Committee, on the other hand, is concerned with the conduct and ethical standards of Members of Parliament.
Therefore:
PAC → Financial accountability
Ethics Committee → Ethical accountability of MPs
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Importance of the Ethics Committee
The Ethics Committee strengthens the principle of accountability within Parliament. MPs exercise important constitutional and legislative responsibilities, and their conduct can directly affect public confidence in democratic institutions.
An effective ethics mechanism helps ensure that parliamentary positions are not misused for personal benefit and that members maintain appropriate standards of integrity.
The Committee also contributes to the dignity and credibility of Parliament by providing an institutional mechanism for examining allegations of unethical conduct.
At the same time, parliamentary ethics mechanisms must operate according to established rules and principles of fairness, including giving the concerned member an appropriate opportunity to present their position.
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Constitutional and Parliamentary Basis
The Ethics Committee is primarily a parliamentary committee created under the rules and procedures of the respective Houses, rather than a committee directly established by a specific Article of the Constitution.
However, its functioning is connected with the broader constitutional framework governing Parliament, including:
- Article 105 – Powers, privileges and immunities of Parliament and its members.
- Article 118 – Each House of Parliament may make rules for regulating its procedure and conduct of business.
Therefore, while Article 105 deals with parliamentary privileges, the Ethics Committee itself derives its institutional basis from the rules and parliamentary procedures of the Houses.
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Important Exam Facts
1. Ethics Committee deals with the ethical conduct of Members of Parliament.
2. The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee was constituted in 2000.
3. The Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee was constituted in 1997.
4. Lok Sabha Ethics Committee consists of 15 members.
5. Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee consists of 10 members.
6. The term of the Ethics Committee is not more than one year.
7. Lok Sabha Ethics Committee members are nominated by the Speaker.
8. Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee members are nominated by the Chairman.
9. The Committee examines complaints concerning alleged unethical conduct of MPs.
10. The Committee submits its report to the concerned House.
11. The Ethics Committee is not a court of law.
12. Article 105 deals with parliamentary privileges.
13. Article 118 empowers each House to make rules for regulating its procedure and conduct of business.
14. Ethics Committee ≠ Committee of Privileges.
15. The Ethics Committee is an important instrument of parliamentary self-regulation and ethical accountability.
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One-Line Definition
The Ethics Committee is a parliamentary committee that examines matters relating to the ethical conduct of Members of Parliament and complaints concerning alleged violations of the prescribed standards of conduct.
Easy Memory Trick
ETHICS = Ethical Conduct + Transparency + Integrity + Code of Conduct + Standards
So, if the question asks:
“Which parliamentary committee deals with the ethical conduct of MPs?”
The answer is:
Ethics Committee.
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Sources
- Constitution of India – Articles 105 and 118
- Lok Sabha Secretariat – Parliamentary Committees and Rules of Procedure
- Rajya Sabha Secretariat – Parliamentary Committees and Rules of Procedure
- Parliament of India – Code of Conduct/ethical standards for Members
- IGNOU Study Material – Indian Parliament and Parliamentary Committees
- M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity – Parliamentary Committees and Parliamentary Accountability
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