{"id":330553,"date":"2025-03-22T17:28:43","date_gmt":"2025-03-22T11:58:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=330553"},"modified":"2025-03-22T17:28:43","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T11:58:43","slug":"decline-of-indian-parliament-explained-pointwise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/decline-of-indian-parliament-explained-pointwise\/","title":{"rendered":"Decline of Indian Parliament- Explained Pointwise"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Indian Parliament, often referred to as the <\/span>temple of democracy. <\/b>It is the supreme legislative body of the country, embodying the <\/span>democratic will of the people<\/b>. It plays a crucial role in <\/span>law-making (Article 79 to Article 122)<\/b>, holding the <\/span>executive accountable<\/b>, and <\/span>reflecting diverse voices<\/b>. As the <\/span>cornerstone of Indian democracy, its health is vital<\/b> for effective governance and representation.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Table of Content<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What is the Current Status of the Indian Parliament Functioning?<\/a>
\nWhat are the Reasons for the Decline of the Indian Parliament?<\/a>
\nWhat are the Impacts of this Decline?<\/a>
\nHow Revitalization of the Indian Parliament Can Be Done?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>What is the Current Status of the Indian Parliament Functioning?<\/span>
\n<\/b><\/h2>\n
\"indian
Source- PRS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Decline in Productivity:<\/b> According to <\/span>PRS Legislative Research<\/b>, the <\/span>17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024)<\/b> recorded a <\/span>productivity rate of 47%<\/b>, one of the lowest in recent history. The <\/span>2023 monsoon session<\/b> saw only <\/span>18% productivity<\/b> in the Lok Sabha and <\/span>28%<\/b> in the Rajya Sabha, with significant time lost to disruptions.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Decline in Debates and Discussions:<\/b> As per <\/span>PRS-2023<\/b> the <\/span>2023 Budget session<\/b> saw only <\/span>12 hours of debate<\/b> compared to <\/span>123 hours<\/b> in 1990. Key Bills are often passed with <\/span>minimal discussion<\/b>. In <\/span>17th Lok Sabha, <\/b>42% of Bills passed with <\/span>less than 30 minutes of debate<\/b>. E.g. The <\/span>Farm Laws (2020)<\/b> were passed in <\/span>7 minutes<\/b> in Rajya Sabha without proper division.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Reduced Sitting Days: According to PRS-2023 <\/b>parliament met an average of<\/span> 70 days\/year over the past decade<\/b>, compared to<\/span> 120-140 days in the 1950s. <\/b>In contrast, the <\/span>British Parliament<\/b> sits for <\/span>150-170 days<\/b> annually, and the <\/span>U.S. Congress<\/b> for <\/span>260 days<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Increased Use of Ordinances<\/b>: Over <\/span>750 ordinances issued since 1950;<\/b> 76 ordinances from 2014\u20132023 alone. E.g. <\/span>Farm Ordinances (2020)<\/b> bypassed pre-legislative scrutiny.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Erosion of Budget Scrutiny<\/b>: In 2023, over 75% of Demand for Grants were passed without discussion. Only <\/span>11% of budget expenditure<\/b> underwent detailed scrutiny.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Marginalization of the Opposition<\/b>: 146 Opposition MPs suspended in a single session (2023) for demanding discussion on security breaches.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>What are the Reasons for the Decline of the Indian Parliament?<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

1. Frequent Disruptions:<\/b> Disruptions have become a norm, with the <\/span>17th Lok Sabha losing 40% of its time<\/b> to protests and adjournments. <\/span>2023 monsoon session, Lok Sabha – 55%, Rajya Sabha – 60% time lost<\/b>. The <\/span>2023 Winter Session<\/b> saw repeated disruptions over issues like the <\/span>Pegasus spyware scandal<\/b> and <\/span>farmers’ protests<\/b>. Strategy used by opposition and ruling parties alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Lack of Bipartisanship:<\/b> Rising political polarization has reduced the scope for <\/span>consensus-building<\/b> and <\/span>constructive debates<\/b>. The <\/span>GST Bill 2016<\/b> is a rare example of bipartisan cooperation, but such instances are increasingly rare.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Decline of Parliamentary Committees:<\/b> Committees scrutinize only <\/span>~25% of bills<\/b> today vs. 60\u201370% in 1990s. Important bills like <\/span>Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act (2019)<\/b> bypassed committees scrutiny. Parliamentary committees, such as the <\/span>PAC<\/b> and <\/span>DSC<\/b>, lack adequate resources and authority. The <\/span>PAC\u2019s 2022 report<\/b> highlighted the <\/span>non-implementation of its recommendations<\/b> by the government.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Parliament Hollowed Out:<\/b> Contentious laws like the <\/span>J&K Reorganization Act<\/b> and <\/span>Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)<\/b> were pushed through with minimal debate.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Executive Overreach:<\/b> The executive\u2019s dominance in legislative affairs has reduced Parliament to a <\/span>rubber stamp<\/b>. Ordinance route, misuse of Money Bill provision <\/span>(in <\/b>Rojer Mathew v. South Indian Bank (2019)<\/i><\/b>, questioned the misuse of the Money Bill provision, e.g., Aadhaar Act, 2016), <\/b>and weak enforcement of anti-defection law, curbs dissent and making MPs rubber stamps. Speaker\u2019s position increasingly partisan (e.g., delayed decisions in disqualification cases \u2013 <\/span>Keisham Meghachandra v. Speaker, Manipur, 2020<\/span><\/i>).<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Criminalization of Politics: According to the ADR-report, 46% of the candidates have criminal cases against them, and a striking 93% are crorepatis in 2024 Lok-Sabha<\/b>. It Weakens credibility and moral authority of the House.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Lack of Research Support:<\/b> Unlike the <\/span>U.S. Congressional Research Service<\/b> or the <\/span>U.K. Parliamentary Research Service<\/b>, Indian MPs lack access to <\/span>independent research and analysis<\/b>. The absence of a <\/span>Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO)<\/b> limits MPs\u2019 ability to scrutinize fiscal policies effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Judicial Activism Filling Legislative Vacuum:<\/b> The <\/span>Supreme Court<\/b>, in <\/span>Kalpana Mehta v. Union of India (2018)<\/i><\/b>,<\/b> emphasized the need for <\/span>greater parliamentary scrutiny<\/b> of Bills. Sometimes it has overshadowed Parliament\u2019s role, as seen in the <\/span>NJAC case (2015)<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Low Quality of Debates: <\/b>Personal attacks, walkouts, sloganeering dominate.<\/span> Reduction in intellectual contributions.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

10. Lack of Institutional Reforms:<\/b> The absence of reforms to modernize Parliament has contributed to its decline. For instance, the <\/span>M.N. Venkatachaliah Committee (2002)<\/b> recommended measures like limiting the number of ministers, but these remain unimplemented.<\/span> The 2<\/b>nd<\/b> ARC also<\/b> highlighted the need for <\/span>strengthening parliamentary oversight<\/b>, but its recommendations were ignored.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>What are the Impacts of this Decline?<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

1. Democratic Backsliding:<\/b> The decline in parliamentary oversight has eroded the <\/span>checks and balances<\/b> essential for a healthy democracy. The <\/span>CAG\u2019s 2021 report<\/b> on the <\/span>PM-CARES Fund<\/b> highlighted the lack of parliamentary scrutiny over critical financial decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Less scrutiny <\/span>\u2192<\/b> unchecked executive <\/span>\u2192 <\/b>policy errors (e.g., <\/span>demonetization not discussed in Parliament<\/b>).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

2. Hasty and Poor-Quality Legislation: <\/b>Hasty legislation leads to ambiguity and poor implementation (e.g., <\/span>Farm Laws<\/b>, <\/span>GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2021<\/b>).<\/span> Policy backtracking without legislative review (e.g., repeal of Farm Laws).<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Loss of Public Trust: Lokniti-CSDS (2021);<\/b> Only 27% fully trust Parliament (down from 49% in 2005). <\/span>ADR (2023);<\/b> 68% believe MPs do not represent citizens\u2019 interests effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Judicial Overreach and Legislative Paralysis<\/b>: Judiciary increasingly setting policy direction in absence of parliamentary action. E.g. e.g., <\/span>Vishaka Guidelines, 1997<\/b>, <\/span>Right to Privacy<\/b>, <\/span>Passive Euthanasia<\/b> cases.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Federal Discontent: Centre-State tensions rise<\/b> when regional voices are ignored (e.g., <\/span>Tamil Nadu’s opposition to NEET, Hindi imposition debates<\/b>).<\/span> The <\/span>Rajya Sabha\u2019s diminished role<\/b> undermines the federal structure, as states\u2019 voices are not adequately represented.<\/span> The <\/span>GST Council<\/b>, while innovative, has been criticized for <\/span>centralizing fiscal powers<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Impact on Governance:<\/b> The lack of detailed scrutiny has resulted in <\/span>policy failures<\/b>, such as the <\/span>demonetization of 2016<\/b>, which was implemented without parliamentary debate.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>How Revitalization of the Indian Parliament Can Be Done?<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

1. Increase Sitting Days:<\/b> Parliament should meet for at least <\/span>100 days annually<\/b>, as recommended by the <\/span>NCRWC (2002)<\/b>. <\/span>Rajya Sabha Committee (2008)<\/b> suggested fixed calendar and minimum days.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Strengthen Parliamentary Committees:<\/b> All Bills should be referred to parliamentary committees for detailed scrutiny, as suggested by the <\/span>Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, and Law (2018)<\/b>. Committees should be provided with <\/span>adequate resources and research support<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Establish a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO):<\/b> A PBO, modeled on the <\/span>U.S. Congressional Budget Office<\/b>, would provide MPs with <\/span>independent analysis<\/b> of fiscal policies. This would enhance Parliament\u2019s ability to scrutinize the Budget and hold the executive accountable.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Reform Anti-Defection Law: <\/b>As per <\/span>Law Commission 170th Report<\/b>: Limit anti-defection to <\/span>confidence and money bills<\/b>.<\/span> Empower Parliament to dissent freely without fear of disqualification.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Curb Misuse of Money Bill Provision: <\/b>Implement SC recommendations in <\/span>Rojer Mathew<\/i><\/b> and <\/b>Puttaswamy<\/i><\/b> cases.<\/b><\/p>\n

6. Promote Bipartisanship and Ethical Conduct<\/b>: Encourage all-party committees. Speaker to facilitate dialogue; enforce code of conduct <\/span>(V. Ramaswami Committee, 2001).<\/b> Support <\/span>Private Members\u2019 Bills like Shashi Tharoor\u2019s (2017)<\/b> on deductions for unruly MPs.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Enhance Public Participation:<\/b> Digital platforms should be used to facilitate <\/span>public consultations<\/b> on key Bills and policies. The <\/span>MyGov portal<\/b> can be expanded to include parliamentary debates and discussions.<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Capacity Building: National Legislators\u2019 Conference<\/b>, training programs.<\/span> Promote <\/span>code of conduct for MPs<\/b>, as recommended by <\/span>V. Ramaswami Committee (2001)<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Judicial Restraint and Legislative Vigilance:<\/b> While judicial interventions are necessary, the <\/span>Supreme Court<\/b> should avoid encroaching on Parliament\u2019s domain, as highlighted in the <\/span>NJAC case<\/b>. SC in <\/span>Rojer Mathew v. South Indian Bank (2019)<\/i><\/b> urged Parliament to respect Rajya Sabha\u2019s role. <\/span>Independent Speaker Tribunal<\/b> for fair anti-defection decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/b><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Parliament of India<\/b>, once hailed as the <\/span>temple of democracy<\/b>, is increasingly seen as <\/span>a rubber stamp<\/b>. The <\/span>foundational ideals of debate, accountability, and representation<\/b> are at risk. Reviving it requires <\/span>structural reforms, political will, public pressure, and constitutional vigilance<\/b>. A strong Parliament is essential for a <\/span>vibrant democracy<\/b> and the realization of <\/span>constitutional values<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read more-<\/strong> India\u2019s marginalised Parliament in budgetary affairs<\/a>
\nUPSC Syllabus- GS 2<\/strong>– Parliament and State legislatures\u2014structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Indian Parliament, often referred to as the temple of democracy. It is the supreme legislative body of the country, embodying the democratic will of the people. It plays a crucial role in law-making (Article 79 to Article 122), holding the executive accountable, and reflecting diverse voices. As the cornerstone of Indian democracy, its health… Continue reading Decline of Indian Parliament- Explained Pointwise<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-330553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-pm","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10367"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=330553"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330553\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=330553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=330553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=330553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}