conduct of business inparliament

 Parliaments past, a mirror to changing dynamics

The conduct of business in both Houses so far only points to the need for a revitalisation of legislative engagement and more constructive debate

17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024) concluded 

In an atypical departure from its usual five-day working schedule, the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024) concluded 

 

As the nation gets ready for the general election, the question arises:

 will history repeat itself?

 Or, will a new precedent be set?

How Ministries fared

questions and their answers by PM 

 The Office of the Prime Minister found itself inundated with 1,146 questions from Rajya Sabha Members of Parliament, of which only 28 were answered. 

 the notices directed at the Prime Minister’s Office

witnessed a sharp decline also in the House of the People — from 5,000 during the 15th and 16th Lok Sabhas to a mere 1,700 in the 17th Lok Sabha — underscoring waning interest in seeking answers from the apex executive office.

interests and priorities of our elected representatives. 

Over the past three Lok Sabhas, a discernible trend has emerged, shedding light on the evolving interests and priorities of our elected representatives.

At the forefront of this transformation are the Ministries of Health and Family and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. 

These  becoming the top two Ministries with the highest number of questions.

country’s health-care system

borned after the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting consistent monitoring by our representatives. 

But despite being the Ministries with the most number of questions, where farmers to former Ministers seek answers, the number of questions in the Loksabha  was noticed to be declining marginally.

declining interest in matters of national security and internal affairs

 The Ministry of Home Affairs, which was the Ministry with the second most number of questions directed towards it till the 15th Lok Sabha, has now faded into near obscurity.

 It is conspicuously absent from the list of the top five most questioned Ministries in the Upper House, with a decline in notices by 32%. 

 Defence ministry 

Tasked with steering the nation’s fiscal destiny, the Ministry has witnessed a gradual erosion of parliamentary interest, declining to the fourth and fifth position in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, respectively.

a  hope emerges with an increasing rate of questions being admitted for deliberation, signalling a newfound commitment to transparency and accountability in financial matters.

impact on health, the COVID-19 pandemic 

has gravely disrupted India’s educational landscape.

 Nevertheless, amidst these challenges, a steadfast commitment to accountability and transparency has endured / sustain.

 Education remains among the top five Ministries that are subject to rigorous questioning

 reflecting its significance in parliamentary discourse. 

However, there has been a notable uptick in the number of questions disallowed, casting a shadow on the efficacy of oversight in this vital sector.

 which type of trend is seen ? 

In the Lok Sabha, the percentage of disallowed questions has shown a down across successive Lok Sabhas.

The trend is reversed for the Upper House where the percentage of disallowed questions is growing consistently. 

In the 17th Lok Sabha, Ministries such as Health and Family Welfare, Home Affairs, Defence, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Finance, made up 36.6% of all disallowed questions in Rajya Sabha,

 while in the Lok Sabha, they made up 37.8% of the disallowed questions, underscoring systemic challenges in parliamentary oversight.

The use of interventions

 there is one aspect that stands out in terms of soaring usage: Zero Hour

1 Over 15 years, the Rajya Sabha has witnessed a remarkable 62% in this, while the Lok Sabha has seen a significant rise of 34%.

 2 This surge reflects a positive signal, indicating heightened focus in addressing pressing issues and grievances, and also seeking clarifications from the government. 

3 This coincides with a dwindling / weaker usage of interventions such as

• ‘Half-an-Hour Discussions’,
•  ‘Short Notice Questions’, 
• ‘Calling Attention’, 
• ‘Short Duration Discussions’, 
• and ‘Special Mentions’.

4 Despite its popularity and usage in addressing key issues, Zero Hour has its inherent limitations. 

5 To strike a balance, it is imperative to leverage other interventions 

such as the

•  ‘Calling Attention’, 
• ‘Short Duration’ and ‘Half and Hour’ discussions which provide a platform for other members to participate in, enhancing the quality of debate and reaching amicable solutions.

In summary, the 16th Lok Sabha demonstrated 

 1 a relatively higher level of proactivity compared to the other sessions.

2 It displayed notable performance in the admission of questions and the discussions on various interventions within the House.

3 but  functioning of the House also unveiled a series of overlooked opportunities

Instances of oversight, such as the failure to raise privilege motions against misleading remarks, underscore a larger narrative urging accountability from the government.

 4 The Winter Session, 2023 of the Rajya Sabha missed

a crucial discussion on the sensitive and key issue of ‘Suicides among students due to competitive exams’. 

5 half-hour discussion 

Despite the Chairman’s readiness to have legislative nuances on the topic, our representatives let slip the opportunity to file for a half-hour discussion. It marked a failure to address societal concerns through parliamentary channels.

There was a time when a strong Opposition could ensure the withdrawal of Bills such as the Communal Violence Bill, 2014.

 Changing parliamentary dynamics only point to the need to revitalise legislative engagement, where every opportunity should be seized to ensure accountability, foster constructive debate, and enact policies that prioritise the welfare of the nation and its citizens.

source the hindu