The just-concluded Winter Session of Parliament was unproductive and the least effective in over a year. It ran from November 25 to December 20 and saw frequent disruptions, including protests and arguments. The opposition wanted to discuss the Adani issue, which is a matter of significant public interest due to its implications. Also, it asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to apologise for his comments about Dr B.R. Ambedkar, a highly respected figure in Indian history.

During this session, the Lok Sabha lost 65 hours and 15 minutes, the highest in 2024. Many requests for adjournment motions were made in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, but none were accepted. This rule allows the House to pause its scheduled business to address urgent matters. With a productivity of merely 40.03 per cent during the Winter session. Lok Sabha saw the introduction of five bills and passed four of them. Rajya Sabha approved three bills. Over Rs 97,87,50,000 of taxpayers’ money was spent during the Winter Session, a stark reminder of the high cost of unproductive governance. The cost of running a Parliament session is over Rs 2.5 lakh per minute, which should raise eyebrows and prompt a re-evaluation of our parliamentary practices.

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The opposition’s permanent grievance is that the Centre refuses to discuss the cost of parliamentary democracy, which has been skyrocketing. During the last five decades, they have increased by over 100 times. The high cost and low productivity underscore the urgent need for parliamentary reform and improved governance. The 18th Lok Sabha stands out in many respects. For the first time in a decade, we have a strong opposition with an official leader of opposition (LOP). The bitterness between parties within and outside Parliament is increasing. Neither side is willing to be flexible. Discipline, decorum and dignity of Parliament are of paramount importance. The pressing need for parliamentary reforms is more evident than ever, and action is needed now. For instance, on Thursday morning, Parliament saw protests from the ruling BJP-led NDA and the opposition INDIA Bloc. BJP MPs accused the Congress party of “insulting” Dr Ambedkar.

At the same time, Rahul Gandhi and INDIA Bloc MPs demanded the resignation of Home Minister Shah over his comments about Ambedkar. The escalating conflict over this issue resulted in two injuries and police involvement. Political parties should focus on honouring Ambedkar’s legacy instead of blaming each other. The bills included the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, the Bills of Lading Bill, the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, the Railways (Amendment) Bill, the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, and the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill. The decreasing time available for parliamentary debates is detrimental to democracy. Protests, adjournments, and regular and shortened sessions have caused loss of nearly half of parliamentary time. While the MPs are called lawmakers, Bills have been passed without proper discussion amidst the din and noise.

The business advisory committee has been unable to reconcile the activities of Parliament, a forum for debate, discussion, and disagreements, but not for disruption. The Constitution establishes three branches of government: the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. The legislature makes laws, the executive implements them, and the judiciary interprets and enforces them. While the judiciary is independent, the executive depends on the legislature’s support and is accountable to Parliament.

Parliament’s role in holding government accountable through debates, Question Hour, and parliamentary committees is crucial for ensuring transparency in governance. Question Hour is essential for eliciting information from the government and pointing out the deficiencies. More efforts need to be made to establish the success of a parliamentary system: it needs discipline, character, a strong sense of public morality, and an ideologically oriented two-party system. The need for comprehensive and immediate parliamentary reforms is more evident than ever, and the time for action is now. Economic reforms are imperative to ensure sustainable economic growth. Professionalising floor management techniques is crucial to ensuring Parliament’s effi

cient functioning. While we can legitimately be proud of the reasonably successful work of Parliament during the last five decades, the legislature is needed for the changing needs of the times. We must proceed carefully and cautiously and evolve a national consensus on desirable changes. After all, Parliament is the communication link between the people and the government. The solution lies in adopting healthy parliamentary practices and maintaining decorum.