On an average 20 to 25 per cent of the parliamentary time is being lost during in past few years due to ‘street politics’ within the two houses. There appears to be a consensus on cantankerousness in Parliament. For, the politics of past one decade has given a chance practically to all the parties, barring only a few, to occupy both the treasury and opposition benches.

Consider. In 2006, over 40 per cent of the bills were passed in the Lok Sabha with less than one hour of debate. In two sessions in 2006 only 173 MPs in Lok Sabha actually said anything on the floor of the Parliament on legislative issues. Sadly, almost 65 per cent of MPs said nothing in Lok Sabha on a legislative issue.

Explanations offered by discerning MPs in private conversations are that committees iron out a number of details and differences, leaving only minor questions to be raised in discussions. This, however, is a partial truth, because the committee system of the Indian Parliament has been on the parliamentary reform agenda, and the MPs do find issues to stall the business of the two Houses in each session. Another facile explanation is that pandemonium breaks out when the ruling party does not provide the requisite information during the question hour to the opposition. This, by implication, indicts nearly all the parties in the Indian political spectrum.

However, a week before the Budget session of Parliament begins, it is time to ask, is the pandemonium a short cut to political mobilisation, or are these theatrics meant to serve limited political purpose, irrespective of their impact on the institution?

... contd.