Unexamined, yet it gets JS nod

The Jatiya Sangsad has ignored again its rules of procedure by denying a parliamentary body to examine the reasons behind Tk 18,370 crore additional expenditure by ministries in the current financial year.

As many as 26 ministries and divisions spent the money in excess of the allocations made by the House in the current fiscal year. After spending the additional money, they came to parliament seeking its approval.

Without questioning them about the expense, the House yesterday passed Tk 18,370 crore supplementary budget after holding a brief discussion. 

Twelve lawmakers participated in the discussion that lasted for around five hours in last two days. Then the proposals seeking to legalise the additional expense were put to the vote and were passed in a voice vote.

But according to the JS Rules of Procedure, the Public Accounts Committee is supposed to examine the reasons behind the additional expenditure.

Section 233 (4) of the rules of procedure clearly states:"If any money has been spent on any service during a financial year in excess of the amount granted by the House for that purpose, the committee shall examine with reference to the facts of each case the circumstances leading to such an excess and make such recommendation as it may deem fit." 

In many countries, the Public Accounts Committee is another institution through which parliament controls government's financial operations.

A senior official at the parliament secretariat said this provision was included in the rules of procedure in 1974. But the Public Accounts Committee was never allowed to do its job, he added. 

Every year, the demands for additional expenditure are placed before the House in the form of supplementary budget along with the proposed budget for next fiscal year. A brief discussion is held on the supplementary budget and then it gets passed. This has become a practice, the official said. 

"The provision has been included in the rules of procedure to empower parliament to ensure effective control on public money. The Public Accounts Committee should be allowed to exercise its power to examine the reasons behind additional expenditure," said parliamentary affairs expert Nizam Ahmed, a professor of Chittagong University.

Contacted, AKM Maidul Islam, a member of the Public Accounts Committee, said the committee should be permitted to examine the reasons behind additional expenditure to ensure accountability and transparency in the expense. Unfortunately, he said, the committee was never allowed to exercise its right.