PMO Bars Lok Sabha Questions On PM CARES Fund, Sparks Debate
PMO states Lok Sabha cannot ask questions on PM CARES; legal and transparency debates continue.
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The Prime Minister’s Office has informed the Lok Sabha Secretariat that questions regarding the PM CARES Fund, the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, and the National Defence Fund are inadmissible in the Lok Sabha.
The PMO’s position is that these funds are comprised of voluntary public contributions and do not receive allocations from the Consolidated Fund of India. This development has led to discussions about parliamentary transparency and accountability.
As reported by The Indian Express, the PMO cited Rules 41(2)(viii) and 41(2)(xvii) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha to justify its directive. These rules specify that questions should not relate to matters outside the primary concern of the Government of India or to bodies not primarily responsible to the government.
According to coverage revealed, the final decision on the admissibility of questions in the Lok Sabha rests with the Speaker. The Lok Sabha Secretariat initially screens questions based on the rulebook, but the Speaker has the authority to determine what is allowed. The PMO’s intervention in this process has been described as unusual by parliamentary experts.
Chakshu Roy of PRS Legislative Research explained that the executive can take a position on whether these funds are government bodies, but such interpretations can be challenged in court. The legislature itself does not decide the status of these bodies. Analysis showed that the National Defence Fund is covered under the Right to Information Act, while the status of PM CARES and the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund is currently under judicial consideration in the Delhi High Court, with the next hearing scheduled for 1 April.
Former Secretary General of Lok Sabha, PDT Achary, stated that the Speaker alone has the authority to decide on the admissibility of questions, and that decisions should be made on the merits of individual questions rather than entire subjects. He noted,
“The decision over admissibility rests with the Speaker alone. Also, decisions are taken on the merits of the individual question, not entire subjects, like a certain fund.”
Critics, including Congress MP KC Venugopal, have raised concerns about the PMO’s directive, arguing that it could undermine the independence of the Lok Sabha and limit the ability of elected representatives to hold the government accountable. Reporting indicated that the PM CARES Fund was established as a public charitable trust to raise resources for national emergencies, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, and is chaired by the Prime Minister.
The process for handling questions in the Lok Sabha involves the Secretariat publishing data on questions received and answered. If a ministry believes a question violates admissibility rules or concerns confidential matters, it can request the Secretariat to disallow it. However, as details emerged, preemptive instructions from a government body to the Secretariat regarding entire subjects are considered highly unusual by parliamentary authorities.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.