The above-mentioned article was published in today’s (24th June 2024) editorial of the The Hindu Epaper.
The article talks about the hope the author has from the newly elected government as well as the opposition.
Background Information
What is a parliamentary form of government with respect to India?
India’s parliamentary form of government is modelled after the British system and is a key feature of its democratic governance. The main aspects of the parliamentary system in India include the bicameral legislature, the roles of the President and Prime Minister, the council of ministers, parliamentary sovereignty, regular elections, the independent judiciary, state governments, the role of political parties, and the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. This system ensures accountability, promotes cooperation between branches of government, and maintains a balance of power through regular elections and legislative oversight.
Article
The author hopes that there are great expectations from the 18th Lok Sabha as there is a great strength of combined opposition that is led by the Congress.
More space for opposition
The result of the 2024 elections clearly states that the opposition required more numbers to increase its strength. The combined opposition strength is a little over than 230 whereas the coalition government with over 300 members tips the scale in a majority but with uncertainty. This situation is a break to the formation of the parliament that has been there for a decade.
Hence, this new form also gives rise to the hope that the coalition government will listen to the concerns of the opposition in a greater accommodation as compared to the previous governments. Previously, the opposition members of the parliament often complained about the negligence of the ruling party towards them such as adjourning on the issues concerning border safety.
The author now states that the performance of the government in terms of the productivity of the legislation is the only way to measure the efficacy of the parliament since only these two houses can legislate laws for the country. In this context, it is a tendency of the coalition government to have its own way because of its greater majority.
Three decades ago, Parliament expanded the committee system to allow non-biased and dispassionate debate on proposed legislation. This allowed members to provide recommendations without party lines and was aimed at preventing grandstanding on party lines. Committees examine issues and hear suggestions from domain experts, which are integral in arriving at recommendations. However, the Opposition argued that an examination by the committee of jurisdiction would have provided a well-rounded view. For instance, the opposition cited the three controversial farm laws which were passed without a referral to the committee and were eventually withdrawn due to massive protests around the nation.
Post of the speaker.
The governing coalition and combined Opposition in Parliament will face tests when the new Lok Sabha elects the Speaker and House custodian. The Opposition may seek to test the waters, but the coaliting government have the numbers to place their own person. The second test will be the election of the Deputy Speaker, a constitutional post that remained vacant during the 17th Lok Sabha. The Opposition expects the position to be offered in the current House because of exceptions in 1985 and 2014 when a member from a party outside the government was elected. The new session will provide the Opposition with an opportunity to critically evaluate the government’s policies and programs, as well as debate the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.
Points of friction
The governing coalition and Opposition in India have clashed over the relocating of Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar statues to a new spot called ‘Prerna Sthal’ and the appointment of BJP’s Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro-tem Speaker. The Congress argued that the first decision was unjust and the second lacked due process. Speaker Om Birla dismissed these claims, while Parliamentary Awareness Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized the Congress for politicizing the appointment. The governing coalition has pledged to follow parliamentary traditions, while the Opposition needs to adapt its strategy to extract the best from the debate. Both sides must maintain civility in debate. As regular sessions begin, the governing coalition must be at the forefront to handle all opinions and the opposition needs to readapt its strategy.
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The Hindu Epaper Editorial Explanation by Hello Student.
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