Speaker Denounces Intentional Parliamentary Disruptions as Undemocratic

Speaker Denounces Intentional Parliamentary Disruptions as Undemocratic

The productivity of Parliament has significantly decreased due to frequent disruptions, with the 17th Lok Sabha operating at 88% and the Rajya Sabha at 73% of its scheduled time. In the 18th Lok Sabha (Winter 2024), productivity further declined to 54.5% and 40%, respectively, of the scheduled time.

Causes of Parliamentary Disruptions:

Substantive Reasons:

• Controversial Issues: Disruptions often arise from national or regional issues dominating public discourse, such as the Hindenburg controversy.
• Opposition Grandstanding: The opposition frequently disrupts proceedings to delay or block proposals, shifting the focus from meaningful debate to publicity.
• Anti-Defection Law: The 10th Schedule, introduced by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment, compels MPs to adhere to party whips, restricting debate and pressuring members to participate in disruptions.

Structural Reasons:

• Multiplicity of Political Parties: The increasing number of political parties reduces debate time, leading to disruptions over unlisted issues.
• Unclear Parliamentary Framework: The lack of defined time limits for various activities, such as Question Hour, causes delays and interruptions.

Consequences of Parliamentary Disruptions:

• Disruptions reduce the time available for debate, weakening Parliament’s ability to hold the government accountable and pass laws, often leading to hasty decisions.
• Continuous disruptions erode public trust in Parliament, as MPs focus on blocking proceedings instead of addressing critical issues.
• Each minute of Parliament costs ₹2.5 lakh, and the 2021 logjam alone cost taxpayers ₹133 crore.

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