Reforming The Functioning Of Parliament In India
Source: The Hindu
GS II: Indian Polity and Governance- Parliament and State Legislatures, their functioning, powers and privileges and issues arising out of their functioning.
Overview
- Parliament performs essential functions, including lawmaking, financial oversight, representation and holding the executive accountable. Frequent disruptions and inadequate scrutiny weaken these responsibilities.
- Limited referral of Bills to parliamentary committees, reduced effectiveness of Question Hour and insufficient research support affect the quality of legislative debate and decision-making.
- Lok Sabha expansion and delimitation raise concerns about fair representation, regional balance, women’s representation and the institutional capacity needed to support a larger House.
- Reforms should focus on adequate sitting days, stronger parliamentary committees, impartial enforcement of rules, better research facilities and constructive debate to strengthen democratic accountability and public trust.
Why in the News?
A The Hindu editorial calls for reforms to improve Parliament’s functioning, particularly in the context of expanding representing and addressing weaknesses in legislative scrutiny and accountability.
News in Brief
- Parliament is responsible for law-making, financial oversight, holding the executive accountable and representing citizens.
- Frequent disruptions, limited debate and inadequate scrutiny of legislation can weaken these functions.
- Increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha may require changes in parliamentary infrastructure, committee capacity and the time allocated for discussion.
- Parliamentary reforms should improve both representation and the quality of democratic decision-making.
Problems in Parliamentary Functioning
Frequent disruptions and loss of working time
- Repeated adjournments and confrontations between the government and Opposition reduce the time available for legislative business and public-interest debates.
- Disruption may sometimes be used to draw attention to serious concerns, but prolonged disruption can prevent those concerns from receiving structures discussion and resolution.
Limited scrutiny of Bills
- When Bills are passed without adequate debate or detailed committee examination, Parliament may miss implementation difficulties, unintended consequences and conflicts with existing laws.
- Standing committees allow MPs to examine provisions, consult experts and assess the likely impact of legislation.
- Their recommendations are generally advisory, but they improve the quality of law-making.
- Recent evidence illustrates this concern.
- PRS Legislative Research reported that, during the Winter Session, only 11of the 42 Bills introduced in the 18th Lok Sabha had been referred to committees.
Weakening of executive accountability
- Parliament’s effectiveness depends on minsters answering questions, explaining decisions and responding to criticism.
- When Question Hour is disrupted or questions receive limited oral answers, MPs lose an important opportunity to seek clarification and expose gaps in implementation.
Declining space for deliberation
- Parliament should be more than a place where the government introduces legislation and the majority votes on it.
- It is also a forum for considering alternative approaches, hearing regional concerns and building public consensus.
- A law passed after meaningful deliberation is more likely to be understood, implemented effectively and accepted by citizens.
Inadequate time and research support
- Complex legislation increasingly involves technology, climate change, digital markets, public finance and international commitments.
- MPs need access to reliable research, independent expert advice and sufficient time to study Bills.
- Without these resources, detailed legislative scrutiny becomes difficult, particularly for MPs who do not have access to large research teams.
Major Functions of Parliament
- Legislative function: Makes laws on subjects within Parliament’s constitutional authority.
- Executive accountability: Questions ministers, debates government policies and uses motions to hold the government accountable.
- Financial control: Examines taxation, expenditure, the Union Budget and demands for grants.
- Representative function: Raises citizens’ concerns, including those of marginalized groups and different regions.
- Constitutional function: Amends the Constitution subject to prescribed procedures and limitations.
- Deliberative function: Provides a forum to debate national issues and examine competing policy choices.
Lok Sabah expansion and delimitation
The debate over Parliament’s functioning is closely connected to the question of representation.
- Lok Sabha expansion: A larger House could improve representation as population grows and make it easier for citizens to approach their representatives.
- Delimitation: The redrawing of constituency boundaries determines how voters are distributed among constituencies and how seats are allocated.
- Regional balance: Changes in seat allocation can affect the relative representation of States, making transparency and federal consultation important.
- Women’s representation: The implementation of women’s reservation must be considered alongside the constitutional framework established by the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023.
- Institutional capacity: A larger House will need more committee capacity, research support, debate time and adequate physical and digital infrastructure.
The proposed constitutional amendment related to delimitation did not secure the required special majority in the Lok Sabha in April 2026. Consequently, the proposal was not adopted, highlighting the constitutional and political challenges involved in expanding parliamentary representation.
How Can Parliament Be Revamped?
Ensure adequate parliamentary sittings
- Parliament should have a predictable annual calendar with sufficient sitting days.
- More time should be available for legislative business, public issues and scrutiny of government policies.
Strengthening parliamentary committees
- Refer important and technically complex Bills to the relevant standing committees.
- Allow adequate time for committee examination.
- Encourage consultation with subject experts, civil society and stakeholders.
- Improve the research and secretarial support available to committees.
Improve the quality of debate
- The government and opposition should use parliamentary procedures to resolve disagreements.
- The government should respond to legitimate questions, while Opposition parties should prioritize constructive scrutiny over prolonged disruption.
Strengthen the office of the Speaker
- The Speaker plays a vital role in maintaining order and protecting the rights of members.
- Impartial application of parliamentary rules is essential to maintaining trust in the institution.
Improve MP’s research capacity
- Provide non-partisan research assistance, legislative briefs and impact assessments to help MP’s understand complex Bills and evaluate government policies.
Make Parliamentary functioning more transparent
- Publish accessible information on Bills, committee reports, debates, voting records and the implementation of parliamentary recommendations.
- Digital platforms can make proceedings easier for citizens to follow.
Plan Lok Sabha expansion alongside institutional reforms
- Any increase in the number of MPs should be accompanied by adequate infrastructure, sufficient speaking time, committees and a fair approach to regional representation.
- Expansion alone cannot resolve problems in parliamentary functioning.
Encourage ethical and responsible conduct
- Political parties should promote respectful debate, uphold parliamentary conventions and ensure that disagreements do not prevent the House from carrying put its constitutional duties.
Parliamentary Devices That Ensure Accountability
- Question Hour- Members question ministers about government policies, decisions and implementation.
- Zero Hour- Members raise urgent public issues; it is a parliamentary convention, not formally mentioned in the Rules of Procedure.
- Motions and Debates- Include motions of no confidence, adjournment motions and other procedures available under the applicable rules.
- Parliamentary committees– Examine Bills, expenditure, government programmes and the functioning of ministries in greater detail.
- Budget scrutiny- Enables Parliament to examine how public money is raised and spent.
Challenges in Implementing Reforms
- Political polarization: Parties may prioritize electoral advantage over legislative cooperation.
- Executive dominance: A government with a strong majority may have less incentive to accommodate opposition concerns.
- Time constraints: A crowded legislative agenda can leave inadequate time for detailed examination.
- Party discipline: The anti-defection framework can limit the freedom of MPs to express independent views in certain circumstances.
- Federal concerns: Delimitation may change the relative representation of States, raising questions of fairness and cooperative federalism.
- Institutional capacity: Expanding Parliament requires additional infrastructure, staff, research facilities and committee resources.
Constitutional and Democratic Significance
A well-functioning Parliament is essential for;
- Constitutional democracy: Ensuring that executive power is subject to legislative scrutiny.
- Separation of powers: Maintaining effective checks and balances among the organs of the State, within India’s parliamentary system.
- Accountable governance: Requiring the government to explain its decisions and expenditure.
- Cooperative federalism: Providing a national forum for regional interests and concerns.
- Public trust: Demonstrating that elected representatives use parliamentary time to address citizens’ problems.
Constitutional Provisions
| Article | Provision |
|---|---|
| Article 79 | Constitution of Parliament — President, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha |
| Article 80 | Composition of the Rajya Sabha |
| Article 81 | Composition of the Lok Sabha |
| Article 85 | Sessions, prorogation and dissolution of Parliament |
| Article 93 | Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha |
| Article 100 | Voting in Houses and quorum |
| Article 105 | Powers, privileges and immunities of Parliament and its members |
| Article 108 | Joint sitting of both Houses in specified circumstances |
| Article 110 | Definition of Money Bills |
| Article 112 | Annual Financial Statement (Union Budget) |
| Article 118 | Rules of procedure of Parliament |
| Article 122 | Courts generally cannot question parliamentary proceedings merely on grounds of procedural irregularity |
| Article 368 | Amendment of the Constitution |
Conclusion
A strong Parliament is essential for a functioning democracy. Increasing the number of representatives must go hand in hand with reforms that ensure meaningful debate, effective legislative scrutiny and executive accountability. The objective should not merely be to provide every constituency with representation, but also to ensure that every representative has a genuine opportunity to be heard.
UPSC Prelims and Mains Practice Question
Consider the following statements about the Indian Parliament:
1. The Constitution expressly provides for Zero Hour.
2. Parliamentary committees help examine legislation and government expenditure in detail.
3. The Speaker is responsible for maintaining order and conducting proceedings in the Lok Sabha.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: C
Mains Practice Question
Q) Increasing the numerical strength of Parliament alone cannot strengthen parliamentary democracy. Meaningful deliberation, legislative scrutiny and executive accountability are equally important. Discuss (250 words)
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