All India Speakers Conference

Why in the News 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at the All India Speakers’ Conference (August 24, 2024), highlighted the growing dysfunction of legislatures due to frequent disruptions and lack of debate.

• His remarks came after repeated adjournments in Parliament over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, leading to minimal legislative deliberation.

Key Issues Pointed Out:

• Frequent Disruptions: In the 18th Lok Sabha session, frequent adjournments turned Parliament and Assemblies into arenas of conflict, consuming nearly two-thirds of working time.
• Decline in Working Hours: Lok Sabha functioned for only 29% of scheduled time, Rajya Sabha for 34% (PRS data).
• Erosion of Question Hour: Only 8% starred questions answered orally in Lok Sabha, 5% in Rajya Sabha. On many days, no oral questions were answered at all.
• Decline in State Assemblies’ Productivity: Average sitting days in 2024 were 20 days, compared to 28 in 2017. Big states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh were allotted only 16 seats.
• Weak Legislative Scrutiny: Over 50% of Bills passed on the same day of introduction, without meaningful debate.
• Vacancies in Presiding Posts: No Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha since 2019; eight State Assemblies also lack Deputy Speakers.
• Partisanship in Committees:: Parliamentary committees, once forums for consensus, are increasingly politicised.

Constitutional Provisions:

• Articles 118 & 208: Each House or State Assembly has the authority to manage its own procedures and conduct its business independently.
• Article 93: Lok Sabha shall choose two members—Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Similarly, Article 178 provides for Speaker and Deputy Speaker in State Assemblies.
• Article 75(3): Collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers to the Lok Sabha, ensuring executive accountability through legislative debates and Question Hour.
• Parliamentary Committees:: Though not directly mentioned in the Constitution, are rooted in parliamentary practice for scrutiny.

Related Case Laws:

• Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu (1992) – emphasised the Speaker’s neutrality in functioning as a constitutional authority.
• Raja Ram Pal v. Lok Sabha (2007) – recognised that Parliament’s functioning is subject to constitutional principles, not arbitrary conduct.
• Subhash Kashinath Mahajan v. State of Maharashtra (2018) – reiterated the principle of legislative accountability to protect citizens’ rights.

Recent Examples:

• Monsoon Session 2024: 21 sittings, 15 Bills passed with little/no debate; two-thirds of scheduled time lost.
• State Assemblies: Odisha (42 days) and Kerala (38 days) exceptions, compared to UP and MP (16 days).
• Deputy Speaker Post Vacant: Since June 2019, the Lok Sabha has been without a Deputy Speaker, affecting the fulfillment of its constitutional responsibilities.

Frequent disruption over electoral roll revision in Bihar and other politically sensitive issues.