{"id":66600,"date":"2020-10-15T18:26:04","date_gmt":"2020-10-15T12:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=66600"},"modified":"2020-10-15T18:39:56","modified_gmt":"2020-10-15T13:09:56","slug":"declining-role-of-parliament-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/declining-role-of-parliament-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Declining Role of Parliament\u00a0in India"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Context-<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">The role of Parliament as a platform for ensuring\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">accountability<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0of the executive\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">and use of its instruments for ensuring criticism, deliberation and even consensus-making\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">has declined\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">in the past few years.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"note1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">What are the current issues reducing the relevance of Parliament?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li data-leveltext=\"%1.\" data-font=\"LORA\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Role of parliamentary committees<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">To strengthen the lawmaking process, it is important that all Bills are examined by Standing Committees before passage. This ensures thorough scrutiny of the law. The government has shown extreme reluctance to refer Bills to Select Committees of the Houses or Joint Parliamentary Committees.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"o\" data-font=\"Courier New\" data-listid=\"2\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">number of bills referred to\u00a0parliamentary committees has declined drastically, from\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">71 percent\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">in 15<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">th<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0Lok Sabha to\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">2<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">5<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0percent in the 16<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">th<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0Lok Sabha<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">, including zero bill referred in 2020<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"o\" data-font=\"Courier New\" data-listid=\"2\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The last Bill referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee was The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Second Amendment) Bill, in 2015.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"o\" data-font=\"Courier New\" data-listid=\"2\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Some of the most momentous Acts of Parliament in recent years such as the radical overhaul of Article 370 were not processed by any House committee.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">2. Centre\u2019s willfulness<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; The government used its majority in both the Houses of Parliament and steamrolled the Bills (with hardly any discussion), amid the predictable din and noise that a fragmented Opposition could mount.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"o\" data-font=\"Courier New\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Ordinance route<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Despite having majority\u00a0in the Lok Sabha,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0average number of ordinances jumped from six a year under Manmohan Singh to 11 a year under Modi.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"o\" data-font=\"Courier New\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Cancel Question Hour\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; The Opposition isn\u2019t given a chance to hold the government accountable. Slash Zero Hour time by half, from 60 minutes to 30 minutes, to deprive the Opposition of raising issues of importance. Misuse a constitutional tool such as an ordinance to mock Parliament, in a way it hasn\u2019t been done in 70 years.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"o\" data-font=\"Courier New\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"6\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Money bill scam<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; several key pieces of legislation\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">that did not properly fit in the category, were\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">passed as Money Bills. The\u202fAadhar Bill is a case in point. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha certified that it was a Money Bill and all the amendments proposed by the Rajya Sabha were rejected.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">3. Mode of Public address by the PM <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Prime Minister Modi who prefers to communicate directly with the people, either on the radio or via social media, which obviate the risk of contradiction, and questioning by the receiver<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">, due to one-way communication<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"o\" data-font=\"Courier New\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"7\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">PM Modi on an average has spoken 3.6 times a year in Parliament i.e. 22 times in times in six years. In contrast, Atal Ji spoke 77 times in six-year and Manmohan <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Singh<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0spoke 48 times in parliament during his 10 years in office.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">4. Speaker\u2019s traditional non-partisan role- <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Very few Speakers, with exceptions such as G.V.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Mavalankar<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">, P.A. Sangma and Somnath Chatterjee, have\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">gone against<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0their party leaders to uphold the autonomy of the House.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"note1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Way forward<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The need of the hour is for greater and effective utilization of Parliamentary Committees to strengthen Parliament as a deliberative body which can ensure effective oversight. The government must make amends and restore the democratic majesty of Parliament.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The recent survey showed that <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">more\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">than<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0half of the respondents<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> want to get rid of election and parliaments and have an expert make a decision on behalf of them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Context-\u00a0The role of Parliament as a platform for ensuring\u00a0accountability\u00a0of the executive\u00a0and use of its instruments for ensuring criticism, deliberation and even consensus-making\u00a0has declined\u00a0in the past few years.\u00a0 What are the current issues reducing the relevance of Parliament?\u00a0 Role of parliamentary committees\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0To strengthen the lawmaking process, it is important that all Bills are examined by Standing&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/declining-role-of-parliament-in-india\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Declining Role of Parliament\u00a0in India<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":3699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230,162],"tags":[1240],"class_list":["post-66600","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","category-polity-governance","tag-po_01","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Indian_Parliament_Building_Delhi_India.jpg?fit=1009%2C514&ssl=1","views":{"total":660,"cached_at":""},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66600","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\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66600"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66600\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}