Examine the key mechanisms available to the Indian Parliament to scrutinise the executive. What are the major gaps in these mechanisms, and how can they be strengthened to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability?

Key Mechanism for Scrutiny

1. Question Hour → Ask direct question to government
2. Zero Hour → Raise matter of public importance
3. No-confidence Motion → To express displeasure with working of government.
4. Budgetary Motion (eg cut motion) to stop funding to executive.
5. Debates and discussion → on various policy aspects (eg Calling Attention Motion)
6. Parliamentary Committees → for detailed scrutiny of working of government

Major Gaps

1. Reducing productivity of Parliament
   • eg fall in no. of sitting
   • → Bills referred to Parliamentary Committee (only 11% in 17th LS)

1. Bypassing of parliament eg use of money bill route, ordinance Raj
2. Continous disruption → (PRS) → only 36% time spent on debates
3. Government majority in the house → easily bypass Scrutiny
4. Suspension of opposition members + not allowed to raise matters
   • eg Dec (2023) - 145 MPs Suspended
5. Politicisation of office of speaker/Chairman of house

Strengthening Mechanism

1. NCRCW i) Adopting Parliamentary calender - fixed sitting - 100 days (RS) & 120 days (LS) ii) Mandatory sending of Bills to Standing committee
2. Recommendation of Venkaiah Naidu i) Research support to MPs ii) Increasing tenure of MPs in committee to promote specialisation
3. Best practices i) UK → - one day fixed for opposition agenda - Question to PM ii) formation of shadow cabinet