Parliamentary Panel shake-up: Rebel TMC MPs face committee exclusion

A fresh political headache is brewing for Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan as the 24 Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees head for a complete overhaul, with the 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs facing the prospect of being shut out of the panels. The tenure of the 24 Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is due to end on September 26, paving the way for their reconstitution. 
Under the existing system, members are nominated to the committees broadly in accordance with the strength of their respective parties in Parliament. However, the breakaway group of TMC MPs, referred to as the NCPI, could face a hurdle as it is not formally recognised as a separate parliamentary group by the Speaker.
The development could also affect TMC’s representation in the committees. The party currently holds two chairmanships across the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha panels, and these positions could be up for change when the new committees are constituted.
For the 20 rebel MPs, the situation is particularly significant. Despite having broken away from the TMC, they continue to be treated as TMC members for parliamentary purposes and, without formal recognition of their separate group, could face difficulties securing nominations to the committees.