Narendra Modi and Billy Joel

Over the last ten years (2014-2024), Mr Modi has done everything it took to turn Parliament into a deep dark chamber. In early 2024, after a long hiatus of 30 years, one of my favourite singer-songwriters, the legendary Billy Joel, released a new song titled Turn the lights back on.

This is the verdict after the 2024 Indian elections. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha must not be turned into a deep and dark chamber. Turn the lights back on.

Let's go.

1. Parliamentary calendar

Introduce a fixed timetable for the three sessions of Parliament with a minimum of 100 sitting days per year for each House. The number of sittings per year of the Lok Sabha has increased from an average of 121 days (1952-1970) to 70 days per year since 2000. In 2019, your columnist introduced a private member's bill calling for a fixed timetable for parliamentary sessions and a minimum number of sessions of 100 days.

2. Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha

Article 93 of the Constitution states that the Lok Sabha shall choose two members of the House as Speaker and Deputy Speaker as soon as possible. The 17th Lok Sabha did not have a Deputy Speaker for its entire five-year term. The vice president is not subordinate to the president. The president must submit his resignation to the vice president if he so desires. Traditionally, the vice-president is appointed from members of the opposition. The vice-president must be appointed during this session.

3. Pre-legislative consultation policy

The Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy was adopted in 2014 to ensure public consultation on all laws. In the 17th Lok Sabha, nine out of ten bills introduced in Parliament had no or incomplete consultations. Every Minister, while introducing a bill, will have to table a copy of the summary of consultations.

4. Examination of draft laws

In the 14th Lok Sabha, six out of ten bills were sent to various committees for scrutiny; in the 15th Lok Sabha, the figure was seven out of ten. In the 16th Lok Sabha, the figure came down to four out of ten. In the 17th Lok Sabha, about one out of five bills was sent for scrutiny. This is dismal. The National Commission for Review of the Working of the Constitution (2002) recommended that all bills introduced in Parliament should first be scrutinised by the appropriate committee. The committees should also scrutinise the implementation of the laws passed by Parliament.

5. Bills amending the Constitution

A joint constitutional committee of both houses should be formed to examine the constitutional validity of bills amending the Constitution before their introduction.

6. Admit notice 267 in Rajya Sabha

Rule 267 gives the members of the Rajya Sabha the power to give a written notice to suspend the regular proceedings and call for an immediate discussion on a matter of national importance. It has been eight years since such a discussion has been allowed. At least one such notice must be admitted in every session.

7. Active participation of the PM

The Prime Minister did not answer a single question in Parliament. His participation was limited to monologues – speeches during votes of thanks, farewells and special occasions. Narendra Modi must answer questions, take part in debates and discussions on national issues. (The British Parliament holds a session of Prime Minister's Questions every Wednesday, to which the Prime Minister is required to respond.)

8. Joint Parliamentary Committee on Security

Following the security breach at Parliament last year, the parliamentary complex security committee should be reconstituted immediately, with the deputy speaker as chairman.

9. National Economy Committee

A parliamentary committee on the national economy should be established to produce annual reports on the state of the economy. The report should then be discussed in parliament. The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2002) noted that there is no system of parliamentary oversight of government borrowing. Since they affect future governments, beyond certain limits, borrowing proposals should also be examined by the parliamentary committee on the national economy.

10. Technical expertise for committees

Funding should be allocated to provide research support staff to committees to conduct public hearings, surveys and collect data. Currently, the secretariat helps plan meetings and take notes. The quality of outputs will improve if each committee is assigned a dedicated research team.

Open the door please

Nothing is different, we have been here before

Walk these corridors

I try to speak despite the silence

And pride sticks out its tongue

We laugh at the portrait we have become

Stuck in a frame, unable to change

I was wrong

Have I waited too long?

To turn the lights back on?

-Billy Joel, Turn the lights back on.

(Derek O'Brien, MP, leads the Trinamool Congress in the Rajya Sabha)

(Additional research: Ayashman Dey, Anagha.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author