Parliamentary Reforms

Context

Parliamentary reforms are crucial for improving the functioning and effectiveness of the legislative process in India.

Issues with Parliament Functioning

• Bulldozing Legislations: The Government of India has passed significant legislation with minimal or no discussion. Often, bills that do not qualify as Money Bills are classified as such, bypassing the Rajya Sabha.
• Insufficient Discussion on Controversial Topics: Key debates on issues like unemployment, violence in Manipur, and NEET paper leaks are often avoided by the government.
• Limited Discussion Time: In the 17th Lok Sabha, approximately half of the bills were passed with less than two hours of discussion.
• Decline in Parliamentary Days: The number of days Parliament convened decreased from 331 days in the 16th Lok Sabha to a record low of 274 days in the 17th Lok Sabha.
• Poor Scrutiny of Bills: During the 17th Lok Sabha, only 16% of bills were referred to standing committees for detailed examination.
• Deviation from Norms: The Lok Sabha did not elect a deputy speaker, breaking the tradition of appointing an opposition member to this critical post.
• Silencing the Opposition: Speeches on issues such as paper leaks, unemployment, the Agniveer scheme, rising inequality, and the unfair treatment of minorities were expunged by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
• Suspensions and Removal of Questions: In the 2023 Winter Session of the 17th Lok Sabha, 146 MPs were suspended, and nearly 290 of their questions were removed.

Need of the Hour

• Fixed Annual Calendar: Establish a fixed annual calendar for parliamentary sessions and empower a minimum number of members to convene Parliament.
• Private Member’s Business: Allocate more time for Private Member’s business (legislative work introduced by MPs who are not part of the government) and set aside specific days for the opposition to decide the business.
• Ensure Accountability: Introduce a prime minister’s ‘question day’ where the Prime Minister must respond directly to a set number of questions.
• Neutrality: Appoint neutral presiding officers who do not act as spokespersons for the ruling party.
• Encouraging Bipartisan Solutions: Parliamentarians should engage in bipartisan solutions and provide space for diverse voices.
• Effective Use of Existing Systems: Utilize the question hour, matters of urgent public importance, short-duration discussions, half-hour discussions, and special mentions to address important issues, provided the speaker permits it.