Parliamentary Decline in India – Shrinking Deliberation and Rising Executive Dominance

Parliamentary Decline in India Latest News

• The Winter Session of Parliament begins amid a potential deadlock over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
• There are persistent concerns about legislative dysfunction, erosion of parliamentary deliberation, and the growing imbalance between the executive and the legislature.
• This highlights a structural decline in productivity and oversight functions of Parliament across several Lok Sabhas.

Declining Health of Parliament

• Routine disruptions and falling productivity: According to the PRS Legislative Research’s monsoon session data (between July 21 and August 21) – 
  • The Lok Sabha (LS) functioned just 29% of its scheduled time and the Rajya Sabha (RS) for 34%. 
  • Question Hour, the institution’s core mechanisms of accountability, were also badly hit (LS completing only 23% while the RS managed only 6% of its scheduled Question Hour time).
• Bills passed with minimal debate:
  • Regulation of Online Gaming Bill: Cleared in one day, with 6 minutes (LS) and 23 minutes (RS) of discussion.
  • Merchant Shipping Bill 2024: 20 minutes (LS), 10 minutes (RS).
  • Operation Sindoor: 50% of LS time spent on it alone.

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Institutional Concerns Raised

• Warnings from constitutional experts:
  • P. D. T. Achary: Declining deliberation undermines the “very purpose of Parliament”. Passage of Bills without debate is a “mockery of legislative business” under Article 107. He advocates dialogue between the PM and Leader of Opposition.
• Views from MPs:
  • Manish Tewari (Congress): Parliament became a rubber-stamp legislature. Standing Committees becoming redundant. Presiding officers’ neutrality diminishing.
  • Syed Naseer Husain (Congress): The government holds primary responsibility for enabling debate. Opposition protests when discussions are denied.
• Government’s position: Opposition blamed for disruptions, driven by “failed leaders”.

What the Number Indicate

• Short-term variability:
  • Exceptionally high productivity in Budget Sessions 2023 and 2024 (111% LS, 112% RS).
  • Sharp drop again in Winter Session 2024 (52% LS, 39% RS).
• Long-term structural decline – 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024):
  • The Lok Sabha functioned for 88% of its scheduled time and the Rajya Sabha 73%. 
  • However, this came with the fewest sittings of any full-term Lok Sabha since 1952 due to Covid-19 (met only 33 days in 2020).
  • 11 of its 15 sessions were adjourned early, and it became the first Lok Sabha without a Deputy Speaker (absent even in the 18th LS). 
• Historical decline in sittings:
  • 1952–1970: 121 days/year (1st LS – 135 days/year)
  • Since 2000: 68 days/year
  • 17th Lok Sabha: 55 days/year
• Committee scrutiny weakened: Bills referred to committees – Over 60% in the 14th and 15th LS, around 20% in the 16th and 17th LS.
• Cross-government trend:
  • Decline is not limited to one party or era.
  • Example: 15th Lok Sabha (UPA-2) performed poorly (61% LS; 66% RS). The 13th and 14th Lok Sabha performed significantly better (91% and 87%).

Deeper Causes of Institutional Erosion

• Anti-Defection Law:

• • From stability to suppression: Intended to curb defections, the law now erodes independence of MPs. MPs function as subjects of party whip, not representatives of people.
  • It affects power of the purse (the foundational principle that no tax can be levied), impeachment of a president or a judge (when members are expected to act as jurors, weighing evidence with impartiality), and legislative autonomy.
• Executive dominance over legislature: Parliament becoming an approval body rather than a deliberative body. Opposition’s notices, adjournment motions often dismissed; question hour and zero hour frequently disrupted; committees weakened, reducing expert scrutiny.
• Erosion of constitutional offices’ neutrality: Presiding officers perceived as partisan. Constitutional conventions not upheld resulting in institutional imbalance.

Comparative Perspective – Westminster Model vs India

• Historical roots:
  • Oxford Parliament of 1258: Established executive accountability to the legislature.
• UK and Commonwealth nations:
  • PM’s Questions ensure that the head of government is held to account on a direct, weekly and public basis.
  • Strong committee oversight.
  • Mandatory testimony by executive officials.
• India’s divergence:
  • Reversal of the Westminster model’s spirit.
  • Decline in oversight, lack of routine accountability from executives.

Challenges and Way Forward

• Breakdown in government–Opposition communication: Dialogue mechanisms between PM, LoP, and House leaders.
• Declining sittings and productivity: Mandatory minimum sittings (e.g., 120 days/year) to prevent rushed legislation without debate.
• Weakening of Standing Committees: Make committee referral mandatory for all major Bills. Enhance transparency and expert consultation.
• Absence of Deputy Speaker (Constitutional requirement under Article 93): Strengthen conventions on Deputy Speaker election.
• Dominance of party whip due to anti-defection law: Limit whips to confidence motions and money bills. Restore legislative independence and conscience vote.
• Partisanship of presiding officers: Clear norms for impartial conduct of Speaker and Chairperson.
• Marginalisation of Question Hour and Zero Hour: Ensure full Question Hour and functioning of Zero Hour.
• Institutional imbalance favouring the executive:  Institutionalise Prime Minister’s Question Hour (weekly). Require executive testimony before committees.

Conclusion

• The decline of parliamentary functioning in India is not a partisan or episodic problem but a structural erosion decades in the making. This has hollowed out the legislature’s constitutional role as the grand inquest of the nation.
• Reforms are essential to revive the institutional spirit envisioned by the Constitution, without which, India risks reducing Parliament to a symbolic edifice—standing tall, but silent in its duty to hold power accountable to the people.

Source: IE | IE