Paper: GS – II, Subject: Polity, Topic: Legislature, Issue: Indian Parliament – Effectiveness.
Context:
India’s parliamentary democracy is weakening as the executive increasingly dominates decision-making, reducing legislative debate, scrutiny, and accountability undermining the intended balance of the Westminster model.
Key Highlights:
Key Evidence of Decline:
- Sharp Drop in Sitting Days: The first Lok Sabha averaged 135 days annually (1952-1957), while the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024) averaged only 55 days, the lowest for any full-term house, with 274 total sittings affected by early adjournments and the 2020 pandemic.
- Minimal Legislative Scrutiny: 58% of bills passed within two weeks of introduction, 35% with under an hour’s debate, and only 16% referred to committees, far below prior Lok Sabhas.
- Disrupted Accountability Tools: Question Hour ran 60% of scheduled time; no adjournment motions discussed; private members’ bills (729 introduced) saw just two debated.
Increasing Executive Dominance:
- The executive sets the legislative agenda and often sidelines the Opposition.
- Notices for discussions, adjournment motions, and demands for urgent debate are routinely rejected.
- Important Bills are passed within minutes, with minimal discussion. This disrupts the foundational democratic principle: “The government may have its way, but the Opposition must have its say.”
Weakening of Accountability Mechanisms:
- Question Hour and Zero Hour, crucial daily tools for holding the government accountable, are frequently disrupted or curtailed.
- These sessions traditionally allow members to question ministers and raise public issues.
Role of Anti-Defection Law:
- Enacted to prevent floor-crossing, the 1985 law now binds MPs to party whips, risking disqualification for dissent and stifling independent judgment on budgets, impeachments, or key votes.
- This shifts MPs from constituency representatives to party delegates, paralyzing debate and fostering executive control.
Dilution of Parliamentary Committees:
India’s parliamentary decline is not irreversible. But reversing it requires collective political will and strong institutional reforms. Parliament must once again become a forum of free debate, legislative scrutiny, and democratic vibrancy.
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