The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) is an extra-constitutional institution, functioning as a standing sub-committee of the Union Cabinet. It is not mentioned in the Constitution but derives its authority from the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961, which are framed under Article 77 of the Constitution.
The CCPA was established to reduce the workload of the full Cabinet and ensure the smooth and efficient conduct of government business in Parliament. Its primary mechanism is to coordinate and regulate the government's legislative agenda and parliamentary floor strategy. Key functions include considering proposals to summon or prorogue the Houses of Parliament and watching the progress of government business to issue necessary directions. It also scrutinizes the government's stance on non-official Bills and resolutions.
The Committee is serviced by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. An informed reader should distinguish it from the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, as the CCPA focuses narrowly on legislative scheduling and floor management, while the latter addresses broader political and inter-governmental issues. The composition of the CCPA is reconstituted periodically, such as after the 2024 elections. Unlike many other Cabinet Committees, it is typically chaired by a senior minister other than the Prime Minister, such as the Defence Minister in the 2019 and post-2024 reconstitutions. The core function of managing the legislative process has remained constant.