Syllabus
GS Paper 2 – Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
Applications where to apply?
When asked about
– Democracy
– Parliamentary Functioning
– Freedom of Expression
– Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings
Context
The conduct of business in both Houses so far only points to the need for a revitalisation of legislative engagement and more constructive debate.
Source
The Hindu | Editorial dated 6th April 2024
Parliaments past, a mirror to changing dynamics
The functioning of the Indian Parliament, as witnessed in the 17th Lok Sabha, reflects a dynamic landscape marked by shifting priorities and evolving legislative engagements. From changes in the utilization of parliamentary interventions to fluctuations in ministerial scrutiny, the parliamentary proceedings offer crucial insights into the governance framework of the nation.
Trend Analysis of Parliamentary discussions
- Fewest Sittings Amongst All Full-term Lok Sabhas:
- The 17th Lok Sabha held 274 sittings.
- Only four previous Lok Sabhas have had fewer sittings, all of which were dissolved before completing the five-year term.
- 11 out of the 15 sessions held during this Lok Sabha were adjourned early.
- Lack of scrutiny on Bills
- Most Bills introduced during the term of the 17th LS ( 58% of the Bills) were passed within two weeks of their introduction.
- The J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019, was passed within two days of introduction.
- Most Bills introduced during the term of the 17th LS ( 58% of the Bills) were passed within two weeks of their introduction.
- Less than 20% of Bills were Referred to Committees: This is lower than the corresponding figures for the previous three Lok Sabhas.
- Performance of Ministries:
- Prime Minister’s Office (PMO):
- Received 1,146 questions from Rajya Sabha MPs, but only 28 were answered, indicating limited responsiveness.
- Decline in notices directed at the PMO in both Houses, suggesting waning interest in seeking answers from the executive office.
- Prime Minister’s Office (PMO):
- Shift in Focus:
- Ministries of Health and Family and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare emerged as top two ministries with the highest number of questions, reflecting evolving priorities.
- Notable decline in interest in matters of national security and internal affairs, as seen in reduced attention towards the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Ministry of Finance: Witnessed a decline in parliamentary interest but showed a promising increase in admitted questions, indicating a growing commitment to transparency.
- Education Ministry: Remained among the top five ministries subject to rigorous questioning, highlighting its enduring significance despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trends in Disallowed Questions: Lok Sabha witnessed a downward trend in disallowed questions, while the Rajya Sabha experienced a consistent increase, indicating systemic challenges in oversight.
- Utilization of Interventions:
- Zero Hour:
- Notable increase in usage in both Houses, signalling heightened focus on addressing pressing issues and seeking clarifications from the government.
- Zero Hour is mentioned in the Rules of Business of the houses of Parliament.
- During this time, matters are raised without any prior notice.
- It is the time immediately following the Question Hour in Lok Sabha.
- Zero Hour is an Indian parliamentary innovation.
- Zero Hour:
- Decline in Other Interventions:
- Usage of interventions such as ‘Half-an-Hour Discussions’, ‘Short Notice Questions’, ‘Calling Attention’, ‘Short Duration Discussions’, and ‘Special Mentions’ witnessed a decline, overshadowed by the popularity of Zero Hour.
- Half-an-Hour Discussion:
- It is meant for discussing a matter of sufficient public importance, which has been subjected to a lot of debate and the answer to which needs elucidation on a matter of fact.
- The Speaker can allot three days in a week for such discussions. There is no formal motion or voting before the House.
- Short Duration Discussion:
- It is also known as two-hour discussion as the time allotted for such a discussion should not exceed two hours.
- The members of the Parliament can raise such discussions on a matter of urgent public importance.
- The Speaker can allot two days in a week for such discussions. There is neither a formal motion before the house nor voting.
- Calling -Attention Motion
- It is introduced in the Parliament by a member to call the attention of a minister to a matter of urgent public importance, and to seek an authoritative statement from him on that matter.
- It can be moved in Rajya Sabha as well as Lok Sabha.
- Special Mention
- A matter which cannot be raised during question hour, half-an-hour discussion, short duration discussion or under adjournment motion, calling attention notice or under any rule of the House can be raised under the special mention in the Rajya Sabha.
Implications of Decline
- Impacts Public Trust:
- Ineffective discharge of legislative responsibilities erodes the credibility and authority of parliamentary institutions, weakening the democratic fabric and legitimacy of elected representatives.
- Decreased Accountability:
- Fewer parliamentary sessions and reduced lawmaker participation lead to diminished scrutiny of government actions, resulting in decreased accountability for policies, decisions, and expenditures.
- Marginalise Dissent:
- Reduced engagement in Parliament marginalizes certain voices, hindering inclusive policymaking and legislation that adequately addresses the needs of all constituents.
- Affects Policy Quality:
- Declining engagement diminishes the quality of policymaking due to insufficient debate, deliberation, and collaboration among lawmakers.
- Reduces collaborative effort:
- Diminished engagement stifles the exchange of innovative ideas and solutions to complex challenges, hindering progress and adaptation to changing circumstances.
Way ahead
- Enhancing Accountability:
- Increase the frequency of parliamentary sessions and encourage active participation from lawmakers to ensure robust scrutiny of government actions.
- Enforce stricter reporting and disclosure requirements for policies, decisions, and expenditures to enhance transparency and accountability.
- Promoting Inclusive Policymaking:
- Encourage greater participation from diverse voices in Parliament through initiatives such as public consultations, stakeholder engagements.
- Establish platforms for constructive dialogue and collaboration among lawmakers to address the needs of all constituents and foster inclusive policymaking.
- Improving Policy Quality:
- Enhance parliamentary procedures to facilitate meaningful debate, deliberation, and collaboration among lawmakers.
- Invest in research and analytical support for parliamentary committees to ensure informed decision-making and robust policy development.
- Facilitating Collaboration:
- Foster a culture of cross-party collaboration and consensus-building within parliamentary committees to promote innovative solutions and effective policymaking.
- Encourage the exchange of ideas and best practices through inter-parliamentary exchanges and forums to facilitate learning and adaptation to changing circumstances.
Conclusion
The analysis of the trends and shifts in the functioning of the Indian Parliament underscores the evolving nature of legislative priorities and engagements. As the nation prepares for the ushering in of the 18th Lok Sabha, it becomes imperative to address the challenges posed by shifting ministerial interests, utilization of parliamentary interventions, and implications for accountability and transparency.
Related Topics
Procedure for Raising Questions in Parliament
Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha
- The procedure for raising questions is governed by Rules 32 to 54 of the “Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha” and Directions 10 to 18 of the “Directions by the Speaker, Lok Sabha‟.
Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha
- In Rajya Sabha, the admissibility of questions is governed by Rules 47-50 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States.
Categories of Questions
- Starred Question:
- A starred question is asked by an MP and answered orally by the Minister-in-charge.
- When a question is answered orally, supplementary questions can be asked thereon.
- UnStarred Question:
- The MP seeks a written answer, which is deemed to be laid on the table of the House by the concerned minister.
- Supplementary questions cannot be followed.
- Short Notice Question:
- These are on an urgent matter of public importance, and an oral answer is sought.
- For asking such a question, a notice of less than 10 days is prescribed as the minimum period.
Read More: Lok-sabha-ethics-committee
References
The Wire.lok-sabha-stats-parliament-numbers-sitting-days-sessions
Moneycontrol–the-decline-of-parliamentary-scrutiny
Related PYQ
To what extent, in your view, the Parliament is able to ensure accountability of the executive in India? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – Mains 2021]
Practice Question
Analyze the trends and shifts in the discussions of the Indian Parliament. [150 words]