Bill Proposing 100 days Parliamentary Sitting

Syllabus: Polity

Source: TH

Context: Senior Opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha have introduced Private Member Bills seeking to mandate a minimum of 100-120 parliamentary sittings per year to enhance legislative accountability and scrutiny.

About Proposed 100 Days Sitting in a Year:

• Objective of the Proposal: Seeks to ensure minimum working days (100-120 days) for Parliament to strengthen deliberative functions and improve governance accountability. Inspired by the General Purposes Committee (1955) and National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC, 2002).

• Seeks to ensure minimum working days (100-120 days) for Parliament to strengthen deliberative functions and improve governance accountability.

• Inspired by the General Purposes Committee (1955) and National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC, 2002).

• Current Scenario of Parliamentary Sittings: No constitutional mandate for minimum sittings, only Article 85 and Article 174 mandate that Parliament and state legislatures must meet at least twice a year. The 17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024) had the lowest full-term sitting (274 days) in Indian history.

• No constitutional mandate for minimum sittings, only Article 85 and Article 174 mandate that Parliament and state legislatures must meet at least twice a year.

• The 17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024) had the lowest full-term sitting (274 days) in Indian history.

• Comparison with Other Democracies: United Kingdom (150-160 days), USA (133-140 days), Canada (130-140 days) have higher parliamentary sittings ensuring robust debates and scrutiny.

• United Kingdom (150-160 days), USA (133-140 days), Canada (130-140 days) have higher parliamentary sittings ensuring robust debates and scrutiny.

Legislative Powers with Respect to Sittings:

• Article 85 & Article 174 of the Constitution Mandates that the gap between two sessions should not exceed six months, but does not specify a minimum number of sittings.

• Mandates that the gap between two sessions should not exceed six months, but does not specify a minimum number of sittings.

• State Legislature & Governor’s Role Governor convenes the session on the Cabinet’s advice, leading to the executive’s control over legislative sittings.

• Governor convenes the session on the Cabinet’s advice, leading to the executive’s control over legislative sittings.

Need for Such a Move:

• Enhancing Legislative Scrutiny: 44% of all Bills in 2023 werepassed within a day of introduction, reducing the scope for debate and scrutiny.

• Strengthening Government Accountability: Ensures detailed deliberations on budgetary allocations, policies, and executive actions, preventing arbitrary decision-making.

• Mitigating Judicial Overload: Proper legislative debate reduces the need for judicial intervention, ensuring constitutional compliance of laws.

• Boosting Public Trust in Legislatures: Declining sittings and disruptions weaken public confidence in legislative institutions.

• Addressing Electoral Pressures: Frequent elections divert political attention from legislative functions, reducing effective policymaking.

Challenges to Implementation:

• Executive Dominance Over Legislature: The ruling government controls session schedules, often curtailing sittings to avoid scrutiny.

• Rising Disruptions in Parliament: Frequent walkouts, protests, and adjournments lead to non-productive hours, reducing effective discussion time.

• Political Fragmentation: Increased political polarization and lack of consensus hinder meaningful deliberation.

• Lack of Parliamentary Committees in States: Unlike Parliament, most state assemblies lack active committee systems, reducing independent scrutiny of bills.

• Financial and Logistical Constraints: Extending sittings requires additional budgetary allocations for infrastructure, security, and legislative staff.

Way Ahead:

• Mandating Minimum Sittings via Constitutional Amendment: A constitutionally backed framework would ensure legislatures meet for adequate days annually.

• Introduction of a Fixed Parliamentary Calendar: A predetermined session schedule, similar to the UK model, would ensure regular sittings.

• Strengthening Legislative Committees: Expanding standing and select committees to scrutinize bills before passage.

• Reforming Parliamentary Conduct Rules: Mechanisms to address frequent disruptions and ensure productive sessions.

• Public Awareness & Civil Society Engagement: Greater citizen involvement in legislative monitoring through live streaming, transparency, and feedback mechanisms.

Conclusion:

Ensuring 100-120 sittings per year will strengthen India’s democratic process, improve legislative efficiency, and enhance accountability. With legislatures being the cornerstone of governance, adopting such reforms is crucial for a more transparent, deliberative, and responsible parliamentary system.

Insta Links:

• Declining-legislative-productivity

• To what extent, in your view, the Parliament is able to ensure accountability of the executive in India? [UPSC-2021]