- The consultative committees are attached to various ministries / departments of the Central Government. They consist of members of both the Houses of Parliament. The Minister/Minister of State in-charge of the Ministry concerned acts as the chairman of the consultative committee of that ministry. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs constitutes these committees.
- The main purpose of these Committees is to provide a forum for informal discussions between the Government and Members of Parliament on policies and programmes of the Government and the manner of their implementation. Meetings of these Committees are held both during the session and inter-session period of Parliament.
- These committees are normally constituted after the new LokSabha is constituted. In addition, the separate Informal Consultative Committees of the members of Parliament are also constituted for all the Railway Zones. The members of Parliament belonging to the area falling under a particular Railway Zone are nominated. Unlike the Consultative Committees attached to the Ministries, meetings of these Informal Consultative Committees are to be arranged during Session periods only.
- The maximum limit of membership on a Consultative Committee is 40 from both the Houses. The Consultative Committee for a Ministry/Department is not constituted if a minimum of 10 members have not given their option for being nominated on that committee.
