Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer by briefly discussing the challenges faced by the Indian Parliament.
• Discuss measures taken to address these challenges.
• Conclude accordingly.

Introduction

• The Indian Parliament, consisting of the President, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, is the supreme legislative body of the country. It is responsible for enacting laws, scrutinizing policies, and representing the interests of the citizens. However, the functioning of the Indian Parliament has faced several challenges over the years that have hindered its ability to effectively fulfill its roles as a representative and legislative body.

Body

• Challenges faced by the Indian Parliament:
  • Disruptions and adjournments: One of the most significant challenges faced by the Indian Parliament is the frequent disruptions and adjournments during the sessions.
    • The opposition parties often stall the proceedings of the House, leading to wasted time and resources. These disruptions prevent the Parliament from fulfilling its legislative and representative roles.
      • For example, the Monsoon session of Parliament in 2021 was disrupted due to protests by opposition parties over various issues, including the Pegasus spyware controversy and farm laws.
  • Lack of participation: Another challenge faced by the Indian Parliament is the lack of participation by members. Many members remain absent during the sessions, and even those present do not actively participate in the debates and discussions.
    • This results in a lack of effective representation and contributes to the decline in the quality of legislative output.
      • For example, the Lok Sabha recorded a low attendance rate of 13.63% during the Budget session in 2021.
  • Poor quality of legislation: The Indian Parliament has also faced criticism for its poor quality of legislation. The bills passed by Parliament often lack clarity and are not well thought out, leading to ineffective implementation and enforcement.
    • For example, the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019, faced criticism for diluting the powers of the Information Commission and limiting the scope of the RTI Act.
  • Lack of diversity: The Indian Parliament faces a challenge of inadequate representation of diversity. Women, minorities, and marginalized communities are underrepresented in Parliament, which leads to an imbalance in the representation of various segments of society.
    • For example, the percentage of women in Parliament is only 14.4%, which is much lower than the global average of 25%.
  • Low Productivity: The productivity of the Indian Parliament is low compared to other democracies. The Parliament session is short, and the members' attendance is low.
    • The bills take a long time to pass, and there is a backlog of pending bills. This low productivity leads to delays in the legislative process, and important bills are delayed or even dropped.
• Measures taken to address the challenges:
  • Code of conduct: The Indian Parliament has adopted a code of conduct for its members, which lays down guidelines for their behavior and conduct during the sessions. The code aims to promote decorum and civility in the House, prevent disruptions, and encourage participation.
    • As in 2021, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged members to adhere to the code of conduct and avoid disruptive behavior during the Budget session.
  • Technology adoption: The Indian Parliament has also adopted technology to improve its functioning. Online portals and apps have been developed to facilitate better communication between members and enable remote participation.
    • For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Parliament adopted video conferencing to conduct virtual sessions and enable remote participation.
  • Committee system: The Indian Parliament has established various committees to examine and scrutinize bills and policies before they are presented to the House. The committees enable expert opinions and inputs and ensure that the legislative output is of high quality.
  • Disciplinary Action: The Parliament can take disciplinary action against MPs who engage in disruptive behavior. This action includes suspension and expulsion from the House.

Conclusion

• The Indian Parliament faces several challenges that hinder its ability to effectively fulfill its roles as a legislative and representative body. However, measures such as adopting a code of conduct, technology adoption, the committee system, and disciplinary action can address these challenges.
• The way forward for the Indian Parliament is to continue adopting such measures to promote transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in its functioning and enhance its effectiveness as a democratic institution.