Why in the News?
Along with having efficient governance, there should also be a high level of accountability, which should begin with a strong and effective Parliament.
What mechanisms does the Indian Parliament currently use to ensure executive accountability?
- Question Hour: A daily session where Members of Parliament (MPs) ask questions to the government, holding the executive accountable for its actions. Eg: During Question Hour, MPs can ask questions on various issues like government policies, spending, and public welfare programs. If the government fails to respond adequately, it is held accountable in front of the public.
- Zero Hour: An informal session where MPs can raise urgent matters of public importance without prior notice. Eg: In the past, MPs have used Zero Hour to raise concerns about natural disasters, governance issues, or urgent societal problems like price hikes or corruption, which require immediate attention from the government.
- Standing Committees (e.g., Department-related Standing Committees): These committees examine the policies and functioning of various government departments, scrutinizing their budget proposals, schemes, and implementation. Eg: The Standing Committee on Railways in 2015 recommended waiving dividend payments to Indian Railways to improve its financial health, which was subsequently implemented.
- No-Confidence Motion: A formal motion in Parliament that can be moved by MPs to express a lack of confidence in the government. If passed, it leads to the resignation of the government. Eg: In the 17th Lok Sabha, a no-confidence motion was raised against the government over issues related to economic policies, though it did not pass, it highlighted the need for greater executive accountability.
- Public Accounts Committee (PAC): This committee scrutinizes government expenditure and ensures that public funds are used efficiently and for their intended purposes. Eg: The PAC exposed irregularities in the Commonwealth Games 2010, revealing delays, opaque appointments, and corrupt practices, leading to corrective actions and reforms.
Why has the effectiveness of Question Hour and parliamentary committees declined in recent years?
- Frequent Disruptions during Question Hour: Question Hour is often disrupted by protests and disruptions, leading to adjournments and reducing the time spent on addressing important government issues. Eg: During the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-24), Question Hour functioned for only 60% of its scheduled time in the Lok Sabha and 52% in Rajya Sabha, limiting its effectiveness in holding the government accountable.
- Focus on Isolated Queries rather than Systematic Scrutiny: MPs often focus on individual queries rather than engaging in comprehensive, cross-ministerial scrutiny of complex issues, which limits the depth of oversight. Eg: Instead of addressing broader policy issues, MPs tend to ask specific questions that do not contribute to a deeper analysis of government actions or programs.
- Limited Impact of Parliamentary Committees’ Reports: Despite generating detailed reports, parliamentary committees’ findings are often not discussed in Parliament, leading to a lack of follow-up on recommendations and diminishing their influence on legislation and executive actions. Eg: Even though the Standing Committees on Railways and Transport made significant recommendations, such as waiving the dividend payments and influencing the Motor Vehicles Bill, many committee reports have not led to substantial legislative or executive changes.
How can technology and data analytics improve the quality of parliamentary scrutiny?
- AI and Data Analytics for Efficient Scrutiny: Technology can help MPs analyze vast amounts of data, such as budget documents and audit reports, enabling them to quickly identify irregularities and policy trends. Eg: Using AI, Parliament can automatically flag inconsistencies in spending or uncover patterns in policy implementation, helping MPs ask more informed, evidence-based questions during sessions like Question Hour.
- Enhancing Accessibility and Transparency of Committee Findings: Technology can make parliamentary committee reports more accessible to the public and MPs by translating them into local languages, creating visual explainers, or using short videos. This increases transparency and public engagement while also aiding MPs in scrutinizing complex issues. Eg: The use of visual tools and AI-driven summaries could simplify the analysis of technical reports, helping MPs quickly grasp important findings and engage in more meaningful debates in Parliament.
Way forward:
- Strengthen Post-Legislative Scrutiny: Establish a formal process for tracking the implementation and impact of laws, ensuring timely reviews and corrections. This can be modeled on the UK system, where government departments submit reviews of major laws within a set period.
- Enhance Technology Integration: Leverage AI, data analytics, and digital tools to support MPs with real-time insights, enabling more effective questioning and in-depth scrutiny of government actions and policies.
Mains PYQ:
[UPSC 2018] Why do you think the committees are considered to be useful for parliamentary work? Discuss, in this context, the role or the Estimates Committee.
Linkage: General usefulness of parliamentary committees, which are highlighted as crucial mechanisms for accountability and scrutiny. It specifically asks about the Estimates Committee, another important financial committee alongside the PAC.
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