Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Explained

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Key takeaways

The Lok Sabha referred the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed examination.
A JPC is an ad hoc parliamentary body created under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Parliament.
The committee maintains a 2:1 ratio between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, with its chairperson appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
A JPC has powers to summon official records and witnesses, and it automatically dissolves once it submits its final report to Parliament.

The Lok Sabha sent the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) after strong opposition from political parties and civil society groups.

A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is a temporary ad hoc panel created by the Indian Parliament to perform a detailed clause-by-clause study of a controversial bill or complex public issue.

The Constitution of India does not explicitly mention the Joint Parliamentary Committee.
Parliament sets up a JPC under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of both Houses. It comes into existence when one House passes a motion for it and the other House accepts it.

General debates inside the House have limited time. A JPC provides a dedicated cross-party platform to examine laws, study evidence, consult experts, and suggest changes before a bill becomes law.

Members of a JPC are selected from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
The number of members from the Lok Sabha is usually twice as many as those from the Rajya Sabha, maintaining a 2:1 ratio.
Party representation in the committee matches each party's strength in Parliament, which gives the ruling coalition a majority.
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha appoints the Chairperson of the committee.

The committee examines every clause of the bill carefully to fix legal, administrative, or constitutional flaws.
It has powers to demand government papers, call officials, and ask experts or citizens to give evidence.
It collects written ideas and conducts face-to-face meetings with business groups, civil society organizations, and affected citizens.
It prepares a detailed report with recommendations, while members who disagree can attach a formal Note of Dissent.
After submitting its final report to Parliament, the temporary committee stops existing automatically.