Sambhav-2024

• Introduce the answer by defining parliamentary accountability and how it exercises its oversight functions over the executive.
• Discuss the perceived decline in the role of Parliament, and highlight the key factors contributing to this trend.
• Suggest potential measures to strengthen the accountability function of Parliament.
• Conclude Suitably.

Introduction

• Parliament is the supreme legislative body of India, which consists of the President, the Rajya Sabha (the upper house) and the Lok Sabha (the lower house).
• Parliament exercises its oversight functions over the executive through various mechanisms, such as question hour, zero hour, motions, debates, resolutions, adjournment motions, no-confidence motions, cut motions, etc. Parliament also scrutinises the policies, legislation, budget, and expenditure of the government through its standing and ad hoc committees.

However, in recent years, there has been a perceived decline in the role of Parliament as an accountability holder, due to various factors, such as:

• Frequent Disruptions and Adjournments: Frequent disruptions and adjournments of the parliamentary proceedings, resulting in loss of time and productivity, and hampering the discussion and passage of important bills and issues.
  • According to PRS Legislative Research, the 16th Lok Sabha worked for 40% lower than the average of all full-term Lok Sabhas.
• Issues in Parliamentary Committee: Committees are supposed to examine the bills and provide recommendations to the House. However, many bills are passed without being referred to the committees.
  • According to PRS Legislative Research, only 25% of the bills introduced in the 16th Lok Sabha have been referred to the committees, compared to 71% in the 15th Lok Sabha.
• Curtailed the Freedom and Expression of the Members: Anti-defection law, which was enacted to prevent the defection of legislators, has also curtailed the freedom and expression of the individual members of Parliament.
  • This has reduced the scope for dissent and debate within and across the parties and has made the members more loyal to the party than to the people or the House.
• Dominance of Executive: Dominance of the executive over the legislature, due to the concentration of power in the hands of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.
• Executive Overreach: The executive often bypasses the Parliament by using ordinances, money bills, and guillotine to enact laws without proper scrutiny or debate.

Some of the potential measures to strengthen the accountability function of Parliament are:

• Ensure Minimum number of Sittings: Reforms in the rules of procedure and conduct of business in both Houses of Parliament, to ensure that the minimum number of sittings, working hours, and quorum is maintained and that the time is allocated proportionately and equitably among the parties and the issues.
• Strengthening Committees: By ensuring that all bills are referred to the committees and that the reports of the committees are given due consideration and timely implementation by the government.
  • The committees should also be given more autonomy, resources, and expertise to perform their functions effectively.
• Revising the Anti-defection Law: By limiting its applicability to confidence and no-confidence motions, and allowing the members to vote according to their conscience and judgement on other matters.

Conclusion

Parliament is an essential institution of accountability in the Indian democratic system. There is a need for urgent reforms and measures to restore and strengthen the accountability function of Parliament and to make it more representative, responsive, and responsible to the people.