India’s Parliament faces a growing crisis of disruptions, disrupting lawmaking and weakening democratic debates. Learn why both the government and the opposition block each other, and how this damages democracy.
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The temple of Indian democracy is showing cracks. Walk through the halls of Parliament these days, and instead of hearing important debates about laws, you hear angry slogans and see MPs walking out in protest. Days that could have been used to discuss bills that affect millions of Indians are lost to arguments and forced adjournments. This is not a new problem, but it is getting worse every year, and it threatens the very heart of our democratic system.
A Parliament that Cannot Work
Imagine a school where teachers and students spend most of their time arguing instead of teaching and learning. That is what is happening in India’s Parliament. In 2024, the Budget Session saw Parliament function for only 45 percent of the time it was supposed to work. In simple terms, if Parliament was scheduled to work for 100 days, it actually worked for barely 45 days. The rest of the time was lost to disruptions, protests, and arguments between the government and the opposition.
This pattern did not start yesterday. Looking back, we see that the 15th Lok Sabha (2009 to 2014) lost 37 percent of its scheduled time to disruptions. The Rajya Sabha lost even more, 32 percent. When we moved to 2014 to 2019, things got slightly better but still remained bad. The 16th Lok Sabha lost 16 percent of its time, while the Rajya Sabha lost 36 percent. Now, in recent years, the numbers are getting worse again.
The most recent winter session of Parliament tells the story clearly. When opposition parties demanded a discussion on issues like electoral revisions, they disrupted proceedings for days. Members of Parliament brought placards into the chamber and refused to allow other business. Both houses were repeatedly adjourned, which means the entire day’s work was cancelled. Bills that were supposed to be discussed could not even be introduced. This cost taxpayers crores of rupees in lost time and wasted resources.
Why Do They Keep Blocking Each Other?
To understand why this happens, we need to see things from both sides. Opposition parties feel that the government does not listen to their concerns and does not give them time to discuss important issues in Parliament. When they try to raise questions during Question Hour, which is traditionally their time to ask tough questions to ministers, the government sometimes tries to stop them or quickly moves on to other business. This frustration builds up until opposition members feel they have no choice but to disrupt proceedings to make their voices heard.
The government, on the other hand, believes that the opposition is simply being obstructive and trying to prevent important bills from being passed. Government ministers say they are willing to discuss issues, but only following proper parliamentary rules and procedures. They argue that opposition parties cannot be allowed to set deadlines or demand immediate discussions whenever they want.
This basic mistrust between the two sides is the root cause of most disruptions. Research shows that disruptions increase when important bills are introduced, when elections are approaching, and when government has a strong majority. Opposition parties feel threatened and use disruption as their most cost-effective way to highlight government problems and get public attention.
Strengths and Weaknesses of India’s Parliamentary System Amid Rising Disruptions
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Strong institutional framework with clear procedures for debate and lawmaking. | Frequent disruptions reduce actual working hours and stall important legislation. |
| Presence of an active opposition that can question the government. | Growing mistrust between government and opposition leads to walkouts and adjournments. |
| Parliamentary committees offer space for detailed scrutiny of bills. | Bills are often passed without enough debate, or get stuck due to protests. |
| Live telecasts encourage transparency and public awareness. | Televised sessions sometimes push MPs toward dramatic protests instead of debate. |
| Constitutional checks ensure balance of power. | Speaker’s authority is challenged when rules are ignored by both sides. |
India’s Parliament still has strong democratic foundations, but rising confrontation has weakened real debate. Restoring dialogue, enforcing rules, and strengthening committees are essential to rebuild trust and ensure effective lawmaking.
How This Behavior Has Grown Over Time
Disruptions have become a normal part of Parliament, almost like an accepted tactic that both sides use to get their way. In 2013, disruptions over the Telangana issue were so severe that one entire session was almost washed out. In 2016, after the government announced demonetization, disruptions became so bad that both houses of Parliament functioned at only 15 percent productivity.
What is concerning is that disruptions have become more frequent and more accepted. MPs now seem to expect that important issues will spark protests and walkouts. Young MPs learn this behavior from experienced ones. Political parties often support their members who disrupt, which means suspension or punishment becomes toothless as a threat.
The introduction of live television coverage of Parliament also played a role. Research shows that disruptions increased after parliamentary proceedings were broadcast live to the public. When opposition members know they are speaking to the entire nation, they use more aggressive and theatrical protests to make their point.
How Disruptions Damage Real Debate and Lawmaking
When Parliament cannot function properly, laws get made badly or do not get made at all. Bills are either passed without enough discussion or kept pending indefinitely. In the 2022 Monsoon Session, only 47 bills were passed in the Lok Sabha when much more was planned. Important policies affecting ordinary Indians get stuck because of these political fights.
Question Hour, which is when opposition MPs ask ministers tough questions about their work, gets frequently cut short due to disruptions. This means ministers are not properly held accountable. The public never hears many important questions about government work because Parliament becomes too chaotic to function.
The bigger damage is to public trust. When Indians see their elected representatives spending time shouting slogans instead of debating important issues, they lose faith in democracy. Surveys show that only 27 percent of Indians fully trust Parliament, down from 49 percent in 2005. This is a dramatic drop that should worry everyone who cares about democracy.
Private Members’ Bills, which are bills introduced by MPs to address local issues, almost never get discussed now. Committee meetings where detailed scrutiny of bills happen get cancelled. The whole system that was supposed to make laws carefully and thoughtfully has broken down.
Moving Toward Solutions
The good news is that solutions exist if all sides have the political will to implement them. Many experts and former parliamentarians have suggested practical steps.
First, Parliament should have more sitting days every year. Most developed democracies like Britain and Canada have their legislatures meet for over 100 days annually. India’s Parliament now meets for roughly 68 days on average, down from 90 days decades ago. More sitting days means more time for discussion and less frustration.
Second, India should have dedicated Opposition Days, just like Britain and Canada. In the UK, 20 days every year are set aside when opposition parties decide what to discuss. The government cannot block or override these days. This gives the opposition guaranteed space to raise concerns without feeling pushed aside.
Third, we need a strict code of conduct with real penalties. Disrupting the House should not be tolerated, whether by government or opposition members. Party leaders must discipline their own members, and the Speaker must have power to enforce rules fairly and impartially.
Fourth, parliamentary committees should become stronger. These are smaller groups of MPs that examine bills in detail before they are debated in the full house. If all bills must go through committee scrutiny, better debates happen, and most concerns get addressed before they create big disruptions.
Finally, both government and opposition must develop a culture of dialogue. Regular meetings between government and opposition leaders can sort out disagreements before they explode in Parliament. When parties understand each other’s concerns, they can cooperate while still maintaining their political differences.
Conclusion
India’s Parliament is facing a serious crisis, but it is not too late to fix it. The problem is not that disagreement exists between government and opposition. That is natural in a democracy. The problem is that they have forgotten how to disagree respectfully while still allowing Parliament to work.
Real democracy means that laws are made after proper debate where different voices are heard. When Parliament becomes a place where slogans drown out discussion, democracy suffers. Every Indian should care about this problem because every law that protects our rights, our jobs, and our safety gets made in Parliament. If Parliament cannot function, then all of us are hurt.
Both government and opposition need to step back and remember why Parliament exists. It exists not for political points or to defeat opponents. It exists to make laws that serve the people of India. Cooperation and respect for democratic rules may seem boring compared to shouting and protests, but they are what make democracy real and lasting.
Source: 4 years, 10 sessions: A look at disruptions in Parliament during Modi 2.0 government & Lack of debate is weakening Parliament
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