Introduction

The role of individual parliamentarians as national lawmakers has been diminishing, affecting the quality of parliamentary debates and outcomes. This decline can be traced to several systemic issues, making the lawmaking process less effective and inclusive.

Reasons for the Decline

1. Anti-Defection Law
   • The law intended to prevent party-hopping has led to a stifling of free speech and independent opinion. MPs often feel pressured to align with the ruling party, even if they disagree, reducing meaningful debate.
2. Money and Muscle Power
   • The increasing influence of money and muscle power in elections has led to the election of lower-quality parliamentarians. These MPs often lack the expertise to contribute effectively to lawmaking.
3. Speaker Bias
   • The inherent bias of the Speaker, who often favors the ruling party, has diminished the opposition’s ability to hold the government accountable, resulting in less robust debates.
4. Short Parliamentary Sessions
   • The shrinking duration of parliamentary sittings limits time for in-depth discussions, making it difficult for MPs to thoroughly debate complex laws.
5. Politicization of Issues
   • Political parties often prioritize scoring points over national interest, reducing debates to partisan bickering rather than focused discussions on national issues.

Consequences for Debates and Outcomes

• Reduced Quality of Debates
  • The lack of substantive discussions has turned Parliament into a stage for political showdowns rather than a space for lawmaking and accountability.
• Delegation to Bureaucracy
  • With MPs less involved in debates, lawmaking has increasingly been left to the bureaucracy, reducing parliamentary sovereignty.
• Ineffective Lawmaking
  • The complexity of national issues, combined with insufficient time for discussion, leads to poorly crafted laws that fail to address key concerns adequately.

Solutions to Revive Parliamentary Sovereignty

1. Reform the Anti-Defection Law: Allow greater freedom of expression and reduce party control over MPs.
2. Address Money and Muscle Power: Strengthen election regulations to ensure the election of capable and honest MPs.
3. Fairer Role for Opposition: Ensure that the opposition has a meaningful role in setting parliamentary agendas and holding the government accountable.
4. Longer Parliamentary Sessions: Ensure that Parliament meets for a minimum of 120 days to allow for thorough deliberations.
5. Reinforce Parliamentary Committees: Make it mandatory for parliamentary committees to scrutinize bills before they are passed.

Conclusion

Restoring the role of parliamentarians as active lawmakers is crucial for enhancing the quality of debates and improving legislative outcomes. By addressing the challenges mentioned above, India’s Parliament can return to its original function as a robust platform for democratic governance.