Quick answer: The All India Conference of Chairpersons and Members of Public Accounts Committees (PACs) was held in Thiruvananthapuram on 3 and 4 November 2026, hosted by the Kerala Legislative Assembly. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated it on 3 November and urged PACs to make sure every rupee of public money is accounted for.
Why the Public Accounts Committee conference is in the news
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla opened the two-day national meet of PAC chairpersons from Parliament and the State and Union Territory legislatures on 3 November 2026, according to a PIB report carried by DD News. The Week reported that this was the first time Kerala had hosted the event, with about 262 delegates and officials from 26 states taking part. The theme was “Audit, Accountability and Good Governance: The Evolving Role of PAC”. In a break from routine, the plenary sessions were held inside the Assembly Hall itself, and the meet ended with a valedictory session on 4 November.
The Speaker said public spending should be judged by the difference it makes to people’s lives. Noting that some audit objections had stayed unresolved for 10 to 20 years, he called for a time-bound plan to clear them, site visits for infrastructure projects, and use of AI and data analytics to study spending data.
Key facts about the 2026 PAC conference
- Dates and venue: 3–4 November 2026, Kerala Legislative Assembly, Thiruvananthapuram.
- Inaugurated by: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
- Theme: Audit, Accountability and Good Governance: The Evolving Role of PAC.
- Other speakers at the inaugural session: Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Assembly Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and Kerala Assembly PAC Chairperson K. N. Balagopal.
- Welcome address: by K. C. Venugopal, Chairman of the Lok Sabha PAC, who proposed that at least one PAC report, with the government’s action taken on it, be discussed in every session of Parliament.
- Release: the Public Accounts Committee Conference Souvenir 2026.
- Kerala link: the state’s PAC traces its roots to the 1933 Travancore Legislative Assembly, and Kerala began the practice of an Opposition chairperson in 1957 (The Week).
Public Accounts Committee of Parliament: static GK
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | First set up in 1921 after the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms; became a parliamentary committee under the Speaker in 1950 |
| Strength | Not more than 22 members: 15 from Lok Sabha, 7 from Rajya Sabha |
| Rajya Sabha members | Added with effect from 1954–55; before that all 15 were from Lok Sabha |
| Method of election | Proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote |
| Term | One year |
| Ministers | A Minister cannot be a member |
| Chairperson | Appointed by the Lok Sabha Speaker; by convention from the Opposition since 1967 |
| Sister financial committees | Estimates Committee and Committee on Public Undertakings |
| Current Lok Sabha PAC Chairman | K. C. Venugopal |
How the PAC and the CAG work together
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audits government accounts. Under Article 151(1) of the Constitution, CAG reports on the Union’s accounts go to the President, who has them laid before both Houses of Parliament. Article 151(2) provides that reports on a state’s accounts go to the Governor, who places them before the state legislature. The PAC then picks the important audit paragraphs from these reports for detailed study and reports its findings to the House.
Its main task is to check whether money granted by Parliament was spent within the scope of the demand. Since it looks at spending after the fact, its strength lies in follow-up through Action Taken Reports, which is why the Thiruvananthapuram meet stressed clearing old audit observations on time.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- Composition of the PAC (22 members; 15 + 7) and the bar on Ministers are frequent one-liner questions in polity sections.
- Know the three financial committees: PAC, Estimates Committee and Committee on Public Undertakings.
- Article 151 and the role of the CAG as an independent auditor link directly to this news.
- Current affairs: venue (Thiruvananthapuram), dates (3–4 November 2026) and inaugurating dignitary (Om Birla).
Practice MCQs
Q1. The 2026 All India Conference of PAC Chairpersons was held in:
(a) New Delhi (b) Bhubaneswar (c) Thiruvananthapuram (d) Shimla
Answer: (c) — it was hosted by the Kerala Legislative Assembly on 3–4 November 2026.
Q2. The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament has a maximum of:
(a) 15 members (b) 22 members (c) 30 members (d) 31 members
Answer: (b) — 15 from Lok Sabha and 7 from Rajya Sabha.
Q3. Who appoints the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee?
(a) President (b) Vice-President (c) Speaker of the Lok Sabha (d) Finance Minister
Answer: (c) — by convention since 1967 the Chairperson comes from the Opposition.
Q4. Under Article 151, reports of the CAG relating to the accounts of the Union are submitted to:
(a) the Prime Minister (b) the President (c) the Speaker (d) the Finance Commission
Answer: (b) — the President has them laid before each House of Parliament.
Frequently asked questions
Who inaugurated the PAC conference in 2026?
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated it in Thiruvananthapuram on 3 November 2026.
What was the theme of the 2026 PAC conference?
“Audit, Accountability and Good Governance: The Evolving Role of PAC”.
How many members does the Public Accounts Committee have?
Not more than 22: 15 elected by the Lok Sabha and up to 7 by the Rajya Sabha, for a term of one year.
Can a Minister be a member of the PAC?
No. Ministers are not allowed to be members, which helps the committee scrutinise the executive independently.
What is the link between the PAC and the CAG?
The CAG’s audit reports are laid before Parliament under Article 151, and the PAC examines them in detail to check whether public money was spent as authorised.
Also read on NCA: Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) | Monthly defence current affairs PDFs | NDA coaching in Chandigarh
Sources: DD News (PIB), The Week, Constitution of India: Article 151, Public Accounts Committee (India). Facts as reported up to 6 November 2026.
Featured image background (representative): rmb / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
