The Kerala Legislative Assembly will host the All India Conference of Chairpersons and Members of Public Accounts Committees (PAC) on November 3 and 4. It will be the first instance of the southern state hosting the national event.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the conference on November 3 at 11:30 am at the R. Sankaranarayanan Thampi Members’ Lounge after receiving a Guard of Honour. Dignitaries scheduled to address the gathering include Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh, Parliamentary PAC Chairperson K. C. Venugopal, the Assembly Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, and State PAC Chairperson K. N. Balagopal.
Anchored in Article 151(2) of the Constitution, the PAC is tasked with scrutinising CAG audit reports submitted to the Governor. The committee traces its origins locally to the 1933 Travancore Legislative Assembly. Kerala also pioneered the convention of appointing a leader from the opposition as PAC Chairperson in 1957. Presenting 1,257 reports over the past 70 years, it remains the most active committee in the Kerala Assembly's history.
As part of the conference, around 262 delegates and officials from 26 states will deliberate on the theme "Audit, Accountability, and Good Governance: The Evolving Role of PAC." In an uncommon departure from tradition, the Assembly Hall itself will host the plenary sessions; Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan stated that members had unanimously agreed to waive the customary restriction during the previous session.
The conference will conclude on November 4 with a valedictory session at the Members’ Lounge in the presence of the Lok Sabha Speaker and parliamentary leaders.
