Chadha, Maliwal get key roles in reshuffled panels (Img: IANS)
New Delhi: Rajya Sabha members Raghav Chadha and Swati Maliwal have been nominated to key Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees for 2026-27, following their move from the Aam Aadmi Party to the BJP.
Chadha has been included in the Committee on External Affairs, while Maliwal has been nominated to the Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports. The committees were reconstituted with effect from September 26, 2026.
BJP leader Nishikant Dubey has retained the chairmanship of the Committee on Communications and Information Technology, while Sandeep Kumar Pathak has been included in the Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been nominated to the Defence and Home Affairs committees, respectively. Congress leader Pawan Khera has also been included in the Defence panel.
Several committees have new chairpersons following the latest reconstitution. BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi has been appointed chairman of the Committee on Commerce, replacing Trinamool Congress' Dola Sen. BJP's Sujeet Kumar will head the Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who has broken with the Trinamool Congress, has been appointed chairperson of the Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers. Sudheer Gupta will head the Committee on Railways, replacing C.M. Ramesh.
BJP's Radha Mohan Singh has been named chairman of the Committee on Defence, while DMK's Tiruchi Siva will head the Committee on Industry. Bhartruhari Mahtab will chair the Committee on Finance.
A number of parliamentary committees will continue under their existing chairpersons. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor remains chairman of the Committee on External Affairs, while Charanjit Singh Channi continues to head the Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing.
Mukul Wasnik retains the chairmanship of the Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, while Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav continues to lead the Committee on Health and Family Welfare.
Congress leader Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka remains chairman of the Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, while Rajiv Pratap Rudy continues to head the Committee on Water Resources.
Sanjay Kumar Jha retains the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, while Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne continues as chairman of the Committee on Energy. Radha Mohan Das Agrawal remains in charge of the Committee on Home Affairs.
Anurag Singh Thakur continues to head the Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel, while Medha Vishram Kulkarni retains the Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi continues to head the Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
Among other appointments, Shashank Mani will chair the Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development, Tatkare Sunil Dattatrey will head the Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas, Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy will lead the Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs, and P.C. Mohan will chair the Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment.
The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees examine the work of ministries and departments, including their policies, programmes and legislative proposals. The committees generally have a one-year tenure.
The newly constituted panels will examine matters concerning their respective ministries and departments and submit reports to both Houses of Parliament during 2026-27.
