02/12/2021 - Indian Polity

KEY POINTS

·        The suspension of 12 Opposition Members of Parliament from the Rajya Sabha for the entire winter session of Parliament, evidently an extreme step by Chairman.

·        A guiding principle of parliamentary proceedings is that the majority, i.e. the Government, will have its way, and the minority, the Opposition, will have its say.

·        Bills are passed in a hurry and even amidst din; the scrutiny of Bills by committees and debates are few and far between.

·        Also, the decision to suspend Members for their conduct in the previous monsoon session at the beginning of a new session seems excessively punitive.

·        Parliament is the platform where the executive is held accountable to the representatives of the people.

·        That is where people’s representatives raise matters of public concern and seek the Government’s attention.

·        The trend of weakening that process in the name of efficiency is not merely undermining the spirit of democracy.

·        Parliamentary debates should not be viewed as a distraction or waste of time; they are a barometer of public mood and must be respected as such, by both the ruling side and the Opposition.

·        The absence of the Opposition will only leave the Government even more unchecked.

Kindly review

Please review