Gandhinagar (Gujarat): The Gujarat Legislative Assembly on Wednesday announced the constitution of its financial and non-financial committees for the 2026-27 financial year, with four major financial panels elected unopposed and several senior legislators appointed as chairpersons.
In an official statement issued by the Assembly Secretariat in Gandhinagar, Speaker Shankar Chaudhary said the committees play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the Assembly’s financial and administrative responsibilities.
Under Rule 156(1) of the Rules of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, C.J. Chavda was appointed chairman of the Estimates Committee, Pankaj Desai will head the Public Accounts Committee, Ramanlal Vora was named chairman of the Committee on Public Undertakings, and Uday Kangad will lead the Panchayati Raj Committee.
According to the Secretariat, these committees are responsible for overseeing the state’s financial management, scrutinising public expenditure, evaluating the functioning of public undertakings and monitoring Panchayati Raj institutions.
“The committees hold special importance in the smooth management of the financial and administrative responsibilities of the Legislative Assembly,” the statement said.
The Assembly also announced appointments to several non-financial committees. Speaker Shankar Chaudhary will chair the Rules Committee and the Library Committee, while Deputy Speaker Purnesh Modi has been appointed chairman of the Petitions Committee.
Hardik Patel was appointed chairman of the Subordinate Legislation Committee, while Malati Maheshwari will head the Committee for the Welfare of Scheduled Castes. Amit Shah was named chairman of the Committee on Government Assurances.
Other appointments include Mohan Dhodiya as chairman of the Committee for the Welfare of Scheduled Tribes, Vinod Mordiya as chairman of the Committee on Absence of Members from the Sittings of the House, and Sangeeta Patil as chairperson of the Members’ Residence Committee.
Meghji Chavda was appointed chairman of the Committee on Papers Laid on the Table of the House, Arjunsinh Chauhan will head the Committee on Private Members’ Business, Keshu Patel was named chairman of the Privileges Committee, Mukesh Patel will chair the Committee on Rules Relating to Members’ Allowances, and Alpesh Thakor was appointed chairman of the Committee for the Welfare of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes.
Biographical details released by the Secretariat stated that several committee chairpersons have previously served as ministers, municipal office-bearers, district panchayat members and heads of co-operative institutions.
Speaker Shankar Chaudhary, who has held the post since December 2022, previously handled portfolios including health and family welfare, transport, urban housing, medical education, environment and urban development in the Gujarat government. The Secretariat also noted that he headed major co-operative institutions such as Banas Dairy and The Banaskantha District Central Co-operative Bank.
Deputy Speaker Purnesh Modi earlier served as minister for roads and buildings, transport, civil aviation, tourism and pilgrimage development, while Mukesh Patel and Vinod Mordiya have also served as ministers of state in the Gujarat government.
(DD News)