India’s Parliament, constitutionally envisioned as the central arena for deliberation and accountability, is witnessing a troubling decline in legislative productivity. Frequent disruptions, walkouts, and persistent deadlocks have raised concerns that the institution is losing its deliberative character and drifting away from its representative mandate.
Current Status of Parliamentary Functioning
The Monsoon Session 2025 reflected the growing dysfunction. The Lok Sabha worked for only 29% of its scheduled time, while the Rajya Sabha functioned for 34%. This continues a long-term downward trend: annual sittings have fallen from 121 days (1952–70) to about 68 days since 2000, significantly reducing the time available for legislative scrutiny.
The decline is also visible in the weakening of parliamentary instruments. Question Hour productivity dropped to 23% in the Lok Sabha and 6% in the Rajya Sabha during Monsoon 2025—severely limiting executive accountability. Another major concern is the shrinking role of Parliamentary Committees.
Only 20% of Bills were referred to committees in the 16th and 17th Lok Sabhas, compared to nearly 60% in earlier decades. Additionally, the absence of a Deputy Speaker in both the 17th and 18th Lok Sabhas marks a deviation from long-standing parliamentary convention.
Reforms Required for Effective Functioning
1. Strengthening Institutional Dialogue
Structured engagement between the Leader of the House, Prime Minister, and Leader of Opposition—similar to the UK’s House Business Committee practices—can help address disruptions proactively and build bipartisan consensus.
2. Anti-Defection Reform
India’s expansive whip system curtails individual MP autonomy. Restricting the whip to confidence motions and money bills, aligned with practices in the UK and Canada, would restore deliberative independence within parties.
3. Revitalising Committees
Mandating that at least 75% of Bills be examined by Standing Committees, with provision for public consultations and expert testimony, can strengthen legislative quality and reduce hasty lawmaking.
4. Guaranteed Sitting Days
Introducing a statutory minimum of 100–120 sittings per year, similar to Australia’s fixed parliamentary calendar, would ensure predictability and adequate time for discussion.
Summoning of Parliament
Under Article 85(1), the President summons each House of Parliament, ensuring that the gap between two sessions does not exceed six months.
The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha need not be summoned on the same date, and India does not follow a fixed parliamentary calendar.
Conventionally, Parliament meets in three sessions—Budget, Monsoon, and Winter—though their duration has steadily shortened.
The persistence of deadlock and declining deliberative quality calls for structural reforms that balance executive efficiency with parliamentary oversight. Reviving the institution’s vibrancy is essential for preserving India's democratic robustness.