Context: Importance of a Parliamentary System

• The Constituent Assembly debated the choice of a parliamentary vs presidential system.
  
  
• R. Ambedkar favored the parliamentary system because it:
  
  
  • Offers more responsibility and less instability.
    
    
  • Enables daily accountability of the executive through questions, motions, and debates.
    
    
  • Emphasizes periodic elections for accountability.
    
    

2. Diminishing Oversight in Practice

• Although checks and balances are enshrined in the Constitution, legislative oversight is weakening.
  
  
• Why it matters:
  
  
  • Transparency and executive accountability are key for effective governance.
    
    
  • Without active scrutiny, policies may falter in implementation and effectiveness.
    
    
• India’s aim of “Maximum Governance” must be matched with “Maximum Accountability“.
  
  

3. Existing Oversight Mechanisms

• Question Hour, motions, and Parliamentary Committees are formal oversight tools.
  
  
• However, over time:
  
  
  • Functioning has become routine and symbolic.
    
    
  • Debates are often skipped; real-time information is limited.
    
    
  • Committees are underutilized and lack depth and diversity in engagement.
    
    

4. Limitations of Parliamentary Committees

• Committees like the Department-related Standing Committees (DRSCs):
  
  
  • Meet regularly and submit reports, but their findings often don’t influence legislation.
    
    
  • Tend to involve a small set of stakeholders, reducing the diversity of views.
    
    
  • Their temporary nature limits institutional memory and effectiveness.
    
    

5. Some Notable Successes

Despite limitations, oversight has worked at times:

• Railways Committee recommended reducing outstanding payments to improve finances.
  
  
• Helped in introducing reforms like:
  
  
  • Insurance for unreserved passengers.
    
    
  • National Road Safety Board.
    
    
• Urban Development Committee suggested changes to Smart Cities.
  
  
• These successes, though limited, show the potential of committees.
  
  

6. Challenges to Stronger Oversight

• Information asymmetry: MPs don’t get timely, detailed data.
  
  
• Committees’ recommendations are not binding.
  
  
• No formal tracking system to check whether laws/policies achieved intended results.
  
  
• Executive’s dominance means parliamentary scrutiny often remains toothless.
  
  

7. International Examples and Solutions

• UK’s model:
  
  
  • Standing committees are empowered to review implementation.
    
    
  • New laws are reviewed within three to five years after enactment.
    
    
  • Committee hearings enhance public feedback, data-based corrections, and accountability.
    
    
• India could:
  
  
  • Create sub-committees under DRSCs.
    
    
  • Assign subject experts to enhance technical review.
    
    
  • Adopt visual tools, briefs, and summaries to ease understanding.
    
    

8. Adoption of Technology

• Leverage AI, big data, cloud services to:
  
  
  • Track law implementation.
    
    
  • Analyze budget use and policy impact.
    
    
  • Support MPs with research tools.
    
    
• Use digital dashboards for transparency and real-time updates.
  
  

9. Political Will and Institutional Strengthening

• True reform needs:
  
  
  • Strengthening of institutional systems.
    
    
  • Incentives to MPs and ministers to take Parliament seriously.
    
    
  • Leadership that respects legislative scrutiny (referencing the legacy of leaders like Nehru, K.R. Narayanan, Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh).
    
    

10. Conclusion

“There needs to be maximum governance, but it must start with an empowered and active Parliament.”

• India needs to reform and empower its legislative institutions to achieve democratic accountability.
  
  
• Parliamentary oversight must be treated as a core democratic function, not as a formality.
  
  
• People’s faith in governance depends on how much Parliament speaks for and represents them.

Q. Strengthening legislative oversight is essential for deepening democracy in India. Examine the challenges and suggest reforms.

(10 marks | GS Paper II – Indian Polity | Governance | Parliamentary System)