5. Parliamentary Institutions and Legislative Functioning

1. 17th Lok Sabha: Performance and Productivity

Notes for Students

Context of the Article: The 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024) concluded in June 2024 with a record of paradoxical performance—relatively high legislative output on one hand, but weak deliberative functioning and consistent procedural disruptions on the other. With the 18th Lok Sabha recently convened, the performance of its predecessor holds significant relevance in understanding the current institutional health of Indian parliamentary democracy.

UPSC Paper Topic Belongs To: 

GS Paper II: Polity and Governance (Parliament and State Legislatures) 

GS Paper II: Institutional Reforms (Parliamentary Committees, Legislative Scrutiny) 

GS Paper II: Governance Issues (Accountability, Transparency, Disruption of Proceedings)

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Decline in Sittings and Time Utilisation
2. Committee Referrals and Legislative Scrutiny
3. Disruptions, Suspensions, and Work Culture
4. Institutional Innovations and Reforms
5. Legislative Achievements and Political Priorities

Current Context: 

The 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024) concluded its tenure in June 2024, leaving behind a mixed legacy marked by both legislative activism and institutional weaknesses. It recorded one of the highest legislative outputs in recent years, with several key bills passed swiftly, often without detailed scrutiny or debate. However, this productivity came at the cost of deliberative functioning, as disruptions, frequent adjournments, and limited discussions dominated much of the session time. The use of parliamentary committees declined, and many important bills bypassed thorough review. Opposition participation was curtailed, raising concerns over democratic inclusiveness and consensus-building. The Speaker’s role was frequently questioned with regard to impartiality in maintaining decorum and ensuring debate. These paradoxes highlight deeper issues of institutional functioning, such as executive dominance and erosion of legislative oversight. As the 18th Lok Sabha commenced, reflecting on the performance of its predecessor is essential to assess the evolving contours of Indian parliamentary democracy.

Features :

1. Decline in Sitting Days and Productivity Trends

• The 17th Lok Sabha met for only around 274 days during its full term—the lowest among all full-term Lok Sabhas since 1952.
• The average number of sitting days per year was about 55–58, much lower than the first Lok Sabha (~135) and UPA-II (~71).
• Despite reduced sittings, the House functioned for about 88% of scheduled hours, a significant improvement over the 16th Lok Sabha (which functioned for 21% of scheduled hours in some sessions).

2. Legislative Output Without Deliberation

• A total of around 179–221 Bills were passed, many within very short durations.
• Approximately 35% of the Bills were passed in less than one hour, with limited or no debate.
• Referral to Parliamentary Standing Committees dropped to just 16%, a steep decline from over 70% in the UPA era, thus weakening legislative scrutiny.

3. Disruptions and Disciplinary Measures

• A record 206 Members of Parliament were suspended during this term, including 146 in the 2023 Winter Session alone.
• A significant amount of time (387 hours) was lost due to disruptions.
• Many sessions were curtailed ahead of schedule, and essential parliamentary devices such as Question Hour and Zero Hour were frequently disrupted or underutilised.

4. Institutional Developments and Reforms

• Speaker Om Birla initiated several digital reforms: over 97% of parliamentary questions were submitted electronically.
• The House reported the saving of approximately Rs 875 crore through digitisation, paperless procedures, and administrative austerity.
• Initiatives like PRISM (Parliamentary Research and Information Support for Members), home delivery of library material, and restructured Sansad TV operations marked modernisation efforts.

5. Legislative Priorities and Key Laws Passed

• Significant legislation passed includes: the Women’s Reservation Bill, J&K Reorganisation Acts, Personal Data Protection Bill, criminal law reforms (BNS, BNSS, BSA), and labour code consolidations.
• The Farm Laws were passed and subsequently repealed amidst massive protests.
• Other legislations focused on nationalism, security, digital governance, and welfare-oriented populism.

Explainers:

1. Why is reduction in committee referral significant? 

Parliamentary Committees play a critical role in ensuring legislative quality. They allow MPs to examine bills in detail, seek expert inputs, and solicit feedback from affected stakeholders. In a socio-economically diverse country like India, where legislative impacts vary across regions, sectors, and populations, such scrutiny is indispensable. The steep decline in committee referrals during the 17th Lok Sabha (to only 16%) marks a troubling trend toward bypassing this critical deliberative step. Bills like the three criminal law reforms and the data protection bill, with far-reaching implications, were passed with minimal committee scrutiny. This undermines informed law-making and may lead to unintended policy outcomes or judicial scrutiny.

2. What does increased suspension of MPs indicate? 

The unprecedented suspension of 206 MPs, including 146 in a single session (Winter 2023), signals a serious decline in consensus-building and the decorum expected in parliamentary practice. While maintaining order is necessary, the frequency and scale of suspensions raise concerns about democratic intolerance. It suggests a weakening of dialogue and accommodation among political parties. Furthermore, large-scale suspensions reduce opposition participation in legislative matters, leading to a de facto one-sided law-making process. This distorts the balance envisaged in parliamentary democracy and sets a worrying precedent.

3. What reforms were institutionalised? 

The 17th Lok Sabha introduced several procedural and digital reforms aimed at efficiency and transparency. These included:

• Full-scale digitisation of parliamentary records.
• Online submission and processing of over 97% of questions and notices.
• Establishment of PRISM (Parliamentary Research and Information Support for Members).
• Paperless documentation and library digitisation.
• Austerity measures that reportedly saved Rs 875 crore. While these reforms enhanced administrative convenience and resource optimisation, they could not counterbalance the decline in the House’s deliberative and accountability roles. These reforms are valuable, but meaningful parliamentary functioning demands procedural robustness and substantive debate beyond technical upgrades.

4. Why is legislative speed problematic?

 Expedited passage of legislation, often without proper debate or committee scrutiny, undermines the principle of participative law-making. Fast-tracked laws may lack clarity in implementation, overlook regional or stakeholder concerns, and face resistance at the execution level. During the 17th Lok Sabha, about 35% of laws were passed in under an hour, undermining the legislative process. For example, while the Women’s Reservation Bill was significant, it was passed without comprehensive discussion on implementation challenges like delimitation and census-related issues. Hasty legislation may also face judicial invalidation due to inadequate justification or constitutional infirmities, thus defeating its very purpose.

Conclusion: 

The 17th Lok Sabha’s tenure was marked by paradoxes: legislative productivity without deliberation, administrative innovation alongside democratic stagnation. The declining number of sitting days, reduced role of committees, and rising instances of disorder and suspensions indicate institutional fatigue. However, improvements in digital infrastructure and reduced procedural delays offer some optimism.

Going forward, the 18th Lok Sabha must prioritise restoring deliberative norms, reviving committee oversight, and institutionalising a culture of debate and dissent. Strengthening parliamentary functioning is crucial not only for policy quality but also for sustaining democratic legitimacy.