Focus on performance

New Lok Sabha must follow the basics

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which begins today, presents a fresh opportunity to address the evident weaknesses in the functioning of the Indian Parliament. The new Lok Sabha is considerably different from the previous two, where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had a majority of its own. Although the BJP-led Union government is comfortably placed at the moment, it depends on support from allies in the National Democratic Alliance for survival and pushing its legislative agenda. Further, the Opposition has a significantly bigger number this time. If it manages to hold on to the pre-poll alliance in Parliament, it will be in a position to question government policies more forcefully, which will eventually lead to better outcomes as intended in a parliamentary democracy. After 10 years, the House will also have a formal leader of the Opposition.
 

To define expectations, it will be useful to first highlight how Parliament has been functioning in recent years. According to the data compiled by PRS Legislative Research, the 17th Lok Sabha functioned for 88 per cent of its scheduled time. However, the annual average days of sitting declined significantly. On average, the Lok Sabha sat for 55 days per year, compared to 66 days in the 16th Lok Sabha. For comparison, the annual average number of sitting days for the first Lok Sabha was 135. The number of sitting days was partly affected by the pandemic, and 11 out of 15 sessions were adjourned early. The reduced number of working days had an inevitable impact on the business of the House. About 35 per cent of the Bills were passed with less than an hour of discussion. Notably, during the 17 Lok Sabha’s term, members from both Houses were suspended on 206 instances. In the winter session of 2023, 146 members were suspended on account of misconduct.
 

Given the recent performance, it is reasonable to expect the 18th Lok Sabha to reverse the current trend. While the functioning of the House is the responsibility of the Treasury Benches, the Opposition will also be expected to play a constructive role. In the overall scheme of things, the Treasury side will need to improve on at least two counts. First, the number of days the Lok Sabha or both Houses sit in a year needs to be increased. This will allow members to raise relevant issues and draw the government’s attention. Second, Bills should not be passed without a reasonable period of discussion. In the parliamentary system, the government always commands the majority, but that should not mean Bills are passed without discussion. While the government is always likely to have its way, it should allow the Opposition to have its say on all issues.
 

Further, in the 17th Lok Sabha, fewer than 20 per cent of the Bills were referred to committees, compared to 71 per cent in the 15th Lok Sabha. Parliamentary committees are an excellent mechanism to evaluate Bills and iron out differences among stakeholders. This mechanism must be used more effectively. In fact, it will benefit the government to have a wider discussion, particularly on sensitive issues. Discussion and consensus building help increase the political acceptability of an idea. Thus, in sum, it is to be hoped that the new Speaker of the House, the government, and the Opposition will work in a way that will minimise disruption and adjournment.