New Delhi: Parliaments are the supreme expression of the will of sovereign peoples. Members of Parliament in a constitutional democracy such as ours are legally obligated to periodically seek endorsement for their plans and programmes from their constituents through free, fair and open elections. Parliaments thus constituted by popular will are bestowed with constitutional and moral authority to enact laws, determine political goals, allocate resources, give voice to the common citizens and hold the executive accountable for their acts of omission and commission. It is the people of a nation that are the beating heart of parliamentary democracy.
India is widely regarded as the “mother of democracy”. This recognition is founded on the solid bedrock of our multidimensional historical and cultural legacy that goes back several millennia. Not only do our ancient texts, sourced from all parts of the country, refer to institutions and political structures that facilitated deliberation and debate, but they also clearly indicate the presence of participative governance, particularly at the village community level. Large swathes of the country inhabited by people practising tribal culture have exhibited examples of resilient local self-governance.
Undeterred by macro-level political upheavals, the Indian people have held onto the democratic ethos, so deeply ingrained in their common psyche, resolutely. That parliamentary democracy has strengthened and flourished in independent India is in itself an eloquent testimony to this democratic ethos, so zealously safeguarded by our forefathers. Viewed in this light, our Parliament integrates effortlessly with a continuum that spans over several thousands of years, as a worthy inheritor of our glorious democratic legacy.
When India attained independence in 1947, serious doubts were expressed by many pundits from overseas about the viability of the democratic experiment, which they considered to be an alien implant on the Indian political terra firma. However, our founding fathers who were steeped in our history, tradition and culture, and who had an intuitive faith in the political judgement and wisdom of our common people, had no such hesitation or self-doubt. India adopted a most enlightened Constitution at the dawn of our freedom and the journey in the last seven decades has vindicated that faith in the people of India and in their capability to make the right choice when it mattered the most.
Our robust, accommodative parliamentary system has helped the nation to manage conflicts, and cherish diversity, yet nurture oneness of spirit to keep us united and strong and to guide the nation ever forward on the path of development and prosperity for the last person in the queue. The Parliament of India, guided as it is by the Constitution, has provided space and respect for diversity in all its dimensions, yet dealing with all in an even-handed way, and never hesitating to reach out to the weaker sections of society.
In India, Parliament enjoys the respect of the people as the fount of transformative legislation. It is the final watchdog of the public exchequer, approves the allocation of funds, and finances and monitors expenditure. Parliament, as a body elected by the people, is entrusted with securing accountability of the Executive through various instruments available to it in the Constitution, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, tradition and well-settled precedents.
Parliament also serves as an effective mouthpiece of the people in bringing their issues, concerns, problems and difficulties to the attention of governments and the nation. Ever since its establishment, the Parliament of India has played a determined and purposive role in bringing about positive socio-economic change in a society as diverse as India, through progressive legislation and debates on matters of contemporary national interest that have gone a long way in informing the public about the nuances and varied dimensions of the issues at hand. So far, our Parliament has passed more than 4,000 laws since Independence, of which 216 have been passed by the Houses during the term of the 17th Lok Sabha. These pieces of legislation have established India as a nation that promotes the rule of law. It also establishes India as a nation that is determined to uplift and improve the quality of life of ordinary citizens, and make society inclusive and fair.
Our parliamentary committees are extensions of Parliament. They are referred to as parliaments in a microcosm. These committees are vested with great authority and responsibility to carry out detailed scrutiny of bills, budgetary proposals, programmes and policies and the working of different ministries of the Union government. Committees complement and support the work of Parliament enormously since they enjoy greater flexibility in their functioning. They can devise their own methodology, take evidence of government officials and elicit views directly from the people, organisations and experts. These feedback mechanisms help to sharpen parliamentary scrutiny and oversight of government ministries and departments.
The Constitution grants members, individually and collectively as members of the Houses of Parliament, certain rights, privileges and immunities in order to enable them to discharge their responsibilities efficiently, effectively and without fear or favour. Parliamentary privileges shield and safeguard the autonomy, authority and dignity of Parliament from incursions in their domain by other arms of the state. This is vital so as to enable members to express their views freely. These privileges include immunity from prosecution for speech made in the Houses of Parliament, immunity from arrest in civil matters during parliamentary sessions or committee meetings. However, rights come with responsibilities, which members have to remain cognisant of, so that these privileges are not used for frivolous, baseless and defamatory allegations.
The members of Parliament are morally and ethically bound to speak responsibly in the House, and their behaviour and conduct should adhere to the highest parliamentary norms. Alas, over the years, there have been instances when the way Parliament has functioned has disappointed those who look upon the Houses for meaningful deliberation and debates on national issues and those of common concern. Occasional disruptions during sittings and displays of unruly behaviour on the part of some members have unfortunately, in recent times, gained in frequency.
While the right to question and dissent is integral to democracy and should be protected at all costs, this right should not become a licence to foment disruption and disorder in the House when disapproval can be more eloquently expressed through informed debate, wit and humour. The net result of disruptive obstructionism is lower productivity of the House, passing of important legislation without detailed debates, frittering away of the opportunity to demand answers from the government to searching questions and raise parliamentary constituency-related issues during Zero Hour. It is not only members of Parliament but citizens who should seriously introspect as to how the pre-eminence of Parliament among the organs of the state can be restored as a responsible body that is uniquely competent to finding solutions to the most intractable problems before the nation through well-informed, methodical and open deliberation.
As we enter the Amrit Kaal of our existence as a sovereign nation, it is we the people of India who will have to find ways to make this supreme representative institution a place worthy of the respect and trust that voters have reposed in their elected representatives. Members of Parliament owe it to the citizens of this great nation to uphold the glory and dignity of Parliament. Parliamentarians are looked upon as role models and their dignified and decorous behaviour, sense of responsibility, purpose and dedication should be exhibited at all times.
The 21st century and India’s Amrit Kaal is the era of path-breaking technology. Technology has helped us find solutions to problems that in the not-too-distant past appeared insurmountable. It has become an integral and inalienable part of our daily lives as a vehicle for bringing greater equality, access, transparency, awareness and services. Our Parliament needs to embrace technology wholeheartedly and should lead the way. Over the last few years, the Parliament of India has made concerted efforts to introduce information technology in the functioning of Parliament and its secretariat in order to connect better with members, other legislative bodies and the citizens. The new building of Parliament has incorporated top-rated green building norms and modern technology to reduce carbon footprint and raise efficiency. The Digital Sansad app has been developed and is being continuously fine-tuned to serve members and stakeholders better. Social media coverage of the activities and archival resources of Parliament is being upgraded to connect effectively with the youth. The Parliament of India is well on its way to becoming a truly “e-Sansad”.
What needs to be appreciated is that Parliament is not a lifeless institution but a vibrant and living embodiment of the will of more than a billion Indians. Individually and collectively, Parliamentarians are committed to working towards the welfare of citizens, and in this, their authority is amply fortified by the Constitution, the laws of the land and the moral authority bestowed by the people of India. In the seven decades of its existence, the Parliament of India has successfully created an elegant symphony of democracy, that rises above the occasional discordant notes. Its capacious spirit has embraced all shades of opinion with equal respect, while all along resolutely standing up for constitutional values, national interest, unity of the nation and the common good.
We, the current occupants of its hallowed chambers have been entrusted with the duty to protect this shining legacy, as the nation undergoes transformative change during Amrit Kaal. Let the Parliament of India continue to serve as a beacon of peace and hope for all societies and nations that aspire to provide a parliamentary forum to give expression to the collective will of the people.
