Answer

Introduction

Parliament is the cornerstone of Indian democracy, serving as the ultimate forum for people’s representation, executive accountability, and deliberative law-making. Its effectiveness directly impacts the legitimacy of governance, ensuring that diverse voices are integrated into the national policy framework through rigorous debate and scrutiny.

Body

Issues in Legislative Scrutiny

• Declining Committee Referrals: There is a significant drop in referring bills to Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs), which provide technical expertise and bipartisan scrutiny.
  
• Rushed Bill Passage: Major legislations are increasingly passed within days or even minutes of introduction, leaving no room for a detailed examination of complex clauses.
  Eg: In 2024, the Merchant Shipping Bill was cleared in just 20 minutes in the Lok Sabha and 10 minutes in the Rajya Sabha.
• Bypassing Second Chamber: The frequent utilization of the “Money Bill” route allows the executive to circumvent the Rajya Sabha’s power of amendment on significant policy matters.
  Eg: Significant laws are often enacted as Money Bills to avoid scrutiny from the Upper House, a trend highlighted by constitutional experts.
• Executive Dominance (Ordinances): Repeated reliance on the ordinance route under Article 123 undermines the legislature’s role by presenting Parliament with a fait accompli or “bulldozed” legislation.
  

Issues in Quality of Debate

• Frequent Disruptions/Adjournments: Policy-based debates are often replaced by sloganeering and protests, leading to a massive wastage of legislative time and overall productivity.
  Eg: During the 2024 Monsoon Session, the Lok Sabha worked for only 29% of its scheduled time due to repeated adjournments.
• Waning Question Hour: This primary tool for direct executive accountability is often the first casualty of disruptions, leaving “Starred Questions” without oral answers.
  Eg: In the 18th Lok Sabha’s initial sessions, only 8% of starred questions received oral replies in the Lower House.
• Anti-Defection Law Constraints: The Tenth Schedule forces MPs to prioritize party “whips” over independent reasoning, stifling diverse internal debates and individual conscience.
• Polarization Over Deliberation: Parliamentary sessions increasingly sharpen political and communal polarization instead of expanding common ground on national issues.

Conclusion

The structural decline in parliamentary functioning necessitates urgent reforms, including mandatory committee referrals and a fixed calendar of sittings. Restoring the “culture of consensus” and ensuring the neutrality of presiding officers are vital for Parliament to remain a deliberative body rather than a mere approval house for the executive.

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