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Role of Parliamentarians
K. Srinivasan
17 July 2016
Rajaji Centre for Public Affairs
What we will discuss today
• An overview of Indian Parliament
• Role of Parliament
• How Parliament functions?
• 15th and 16th Lok Sabha – a Quick review
How do you perceive the Parliament?
What are the constituents of Parliament
Parliament is the creation of Constitution of India, which came
into force on 26th Jan 1950.
Part V - Chapter II
(Article 79 to 110)
Parliament
• President of India
• Council of States (Rajya Sabha)
• House of People (Lok Sabha)
President• Head of the State
• He can prorogue and convene both the Houses
• Gives assent or returns the bills to both the Houses for reconsideration.
• He addresses the Joint sittings
Council of State (Rajya Sabha)• 12 members having expertise in
Literature, Science, Arts and Social service are nominated by President (Article 80)
• 238 Members elected by State Assemblies – proportional representation system – Single transferable vote
House of People (Lok Sabha)• Max 550 members – Presently
543 members elected directly by the people. (Article 81)
• 2 Anglo Indian Members nominated by President (Article 331)
Lok Sabha• The first general elections under
the new Constitution were held during the year 1951-52 and the first elected Parliament came into being in April, 1952.
• Presently 16th Lok Sabha
Rajya Sabha• Rajya Sabha was constituted in
May 1952
• It is a continuous one – One third of the members retire every two years. Term of members is 6 years
Four duties of Parliament• Legislation
• Budgeting and Financial approval
• Supervise the Government functions
• Taking up national and constituency issues
Tools in the hands of members• Debates (Special mention or Zero
Hour, Rule 377, calling attention, Short duration discussion, participation in various debates, etc.)
• Private Members Bills
Tools• Questions (Starred and Unstarred)
• Parliamentary Committees
A day in Parliament• 11 AM – Question hour
• 12 Noon – Zero Hour
• 2 PM to 6 PM – Government Business (In Rajya Sabha upto 5 PM)
• Members have to follow party line.
Parliament proceedings• The proceedings of Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha are telecast live.
• www.loksabha.nic.in
• www.rajayasabha.nic.in
• www.prsindia.org
How Parliament functions?
• Rules (Rules Committee)
• Directions (from Speaker)
• Customs and practices
Sittings and Sessions• Three Sessions in a year (Budget,
Monsoon and Winter)
• A working day in Parliament is sitting
• President addresses the first sitting of the new Govt and the New Year.
Legislation – general bills• All general bills, can be
introduced in any House
• To be passed by both the Houses, by simple majority of members present and voting.
• Finally President should give assent to become enforceable.
Legislation – Money bills
• Money bills should be introduced only in Lok Sabha. (Article 11o)
• Rajya Sabha can reject or pass with amendment.
• Final approval only by Lok Sabha.
Legislation – Constitutional amendment – 3 types
1. Simple majority in both the Houses
2. Two third majority of the members present and voting in both the houses (min 50% of the membership)
Legislation – Constitutional amendment – 3 types
3. Two third majority in both the Houses as in 2 above + passing with majority in 50% of the legislative assemblies.
Joint sittings (Article 108)• When a bill is rejected in either of
the House or
• Disagreements in amendments or
• Pending with either House for more than 6 months without being passed, after reception.
Parliamentary committees – Lok Sabha• Financial committees (Estimates,
Public Accounts, Public undertakings) (3)
• Departmentally related standing Committees (Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Finance, Labour, etc. – 16)
Committees – Lok Sabha• Other Parliamentary Standing
Committees (Business Advosory Committee, Ethics, Office of Profit, Rules, etc. - 15 committees)
• Adhoc Committees (Food Management in Parliament complex, MPLADS, etc. – 8 committees)
Committees – Lok Sabha
• Other Committees ( based on the bills – Land acquision bill, Insolvency and bankruptcy code, etc. - 3 committees – Joint committees)
Committees – Rajya Sabha
• Committees of Rajya Sabha (Business Advisory, Ethics, MPLADS, Rules, Privileges, etc. – 10 Committees)
MPLad• Every member can spend upto 5
crores in his constituency.
• He can only recommend to District Authorities.
• www.mplads.nic.in
Some technical words to know• Annual financial statement
• Vote on account
• Consolidated fund of India
• Appropriation bill
• Contingency fund
Immunity to Parliamentarians• Full freedom of speech
• Immunity from the Courts on the talks made in the Parliament
• Speaker’s decision is final.
15th Lok Sabha - Debates
• Arjun Ram Meghwal (BJP) scored 430 debates – Tops in 64 years.
• 100 MPs out of 543 MPs participated in 10477 (58%) of debates, out of 18121 recorded debates.
16th Lok Sabha - Debates• Upto Budget Session 2016 (7th
Session), the total debates recorded is 12055. Top 100 MPs have recorded 6224 (52%)
• P P Chaudhary received Sansad Ratna 2016 Awards for Debates.
16th Lok Sabha - Debates
• Tamil Nadu (39 MPs) – 988 (8.1%)
• Maharashtra (48) – 1064 (8.8%)
• Rajasthan (25) – 898 (7.4)
• West Bengal (41) -599 (5%)
Questions• Starred and Unstared
• Though 20 listed for oral answers, around 6 or 7 only answered.
• 1.43,625 questions (including supplementary) answered in 15th LS. Top 100 Members raised 71,4957 Questions (50%)
15th Lok Sabha - Questions
• Anandrao Adsul (Shiv Sena) raised 1266 Questions He was the topper in 14th LS also.
• Ramasubbu (Cong) raised 1063 Questions.
.
16th Lok Sabha - Questions• Up to Budget 2016 session, 66,728
Questions have been raised. Top 100 MPs raised 33,503 (52%) questions.
• Shrirang Appa Barne and Shivaji Adhalrao Patil (both Shiv Sena) received the Awards for 2016.
16th Lok Sabha – States
• Tamil nadu – 7114 Questions (10.6%)
• Maharashtra – 12660 (18.9%)
• Rajasthan – 4458 (6.7%)
• West Bengal – 1716 (2.6%)
Private Members Bills• On Friday evening, Members can
introduce their own bill
• Need not be party oriented
• 372 Private Bills in 15th LS
• Hansraj Gangaram Ahir 31 Bills and Arjun Ram 20 Bills
16th Lok Sabha – PMB
• Up to Budget Session 2016 504 Bills have been introduced. Top 100 MPs have introduced 454 bills (98%)
• P P Chaudhary received the Awards in 2016.
16th Lok Sabha - PMB
• Tamil Nadu – ZERO
• Maharashtra 84 Bills ( 16.7%)
• Rajasthan – 52 (10.3)
• West Bengal – 9 (1.8)
15th LS - Attendance• Every member is expected to sign
the attendance (Ministers and opposition leaders exempted)
• Attendance National average 78%
• Rajasthan tops with 88%
• Tamilnadu 74%
16th Lok Sabha – Attendance • UP and Rajasthan top with 90 and
88% attendance.
• National Average 82%
• Tamil Nadu 85%
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