Why in the News?
Private Member’s Bills (PMBs) allow Members of Parliament (MPs) who are not ministers to suggest their own laws. In India, most laws are brought by the government and are prepared by different ministries.
What are Private Member’s Bills (PMBs)?
- PMBs are legislative proposals introduced by Members of Parliament who are not Ministers (i.e., private members). These bills reflect the individual MP’s views or address constituency needs rather than the government’s official stance.
- In 2019, Supriya Sule (NCP) introduced the Right to Disconnect Bill in the Lok Sabha, which aimed to give employees the legal right to not engage in work-related communication after office hours. Though not passed, it sparked national debate on work-life balance and mental health.
How do they differ from government bills in the Indian parliamentary system?
| Feature | Private Member’s Bill (PMB) | Government Bill |
| Introduced by | Any MP who is not a minister | Introduced by a Minister |
| Drafted by | Individual MP or external inputs | Concerned Ministry |
| Schedule | Usually taken up on Fridays | Prioritized in regular business hours |
| Chances of passing | Very low; often symbolic | High; backed by ruling party |
| Party mandate | MPs have greater freedom | Ministers follow cabinet decisions |
Why has the significance of Private Member’s Bills declined in recent Lok Sabha sessions?
- Frequent Disruptions and Adjournments: Parliamentary proceedings are often disrupted, especially on Fridays (earmarked for PMBs), reducing the time available for meaningful discussion. Eg: In the winter session, two Fridays were lost to disruptions.
- Government Business Prioritised: The government frequently uses Fridays for its own legislative agenda, sidelining private members’ time. Eg: In the Budget Session, the first Friday was used for discussion on the Union Budget instead of PMBs.
- Low Discussion Rate: Despite hundreds of PMBs being introduced, only a handful are ever discussed or debated in the House. Eg: Of the 729 PMBs introduced in the 17th Lok Sabha, only two were discussed.
- Symbolic Rather than Substantive: PMBs are increasingly viewed as symbolic acts with little legislative impact, deterring MPs from actively pursuing them.
- Lack of Institutional Support: No dedicated mechanism exists to screen, prioritise, or fast-track relevant PMBs, unlike government bills which have bureaucratic and legal backing. Eg: The ‘Right to Disconnect’ Bill by Supriya Sule sparked debate but saw no legislative progress due to lack of structured support.
How can reforms strengthen the PMB process?
- Protect Time for PMBs as Sacrosanct: Amend rules to ensure that Fridays (or designated hours) reserved for PMBs cannot be overridden, except during national emergencies. Eg: Ensuring uninterrupted PMB discussion time would prevent situations like the Budget Session, where government business took over private members’ time.
- Introduce a Review and Prioritisation Mechanism: Create a dedicated committee to screen PMBs for quality, relevance, and constitutionality, and prioritise those with cross-party or public support. Eg: A fast-track mechanism could have helped advance Tiruchi Siva’s ‘Rights of Transgender Persons’ Bill, which ultimately influenced the 2019 law.
- Adopt the UK’s Ten-Minute Rule Model: Allow MPs to introduce and explain PMBs in brief speeches, increasing visibility and legislative input without demanding long debate time. Eg: This could help bring forward more unconventional yet important ideas like the ‘Right to Disconnect’ Bill by Supriya Sule.
Way forward:
- Institutionalise Support Mechanisms: Establish a dedicated PMB committee and research support system to assist MPs in drafting robust, impactful bills.
- Ensure Legislative Space and Time: Legally safeguard specific hours or days for PMB discussions to encourage meaningful debate and democratic participation.
Mains PYQ:
[UPSC 2014] The role of individual MPs (Members of Parliament) has diminished over the years and as a result healthy constructive debates on policy issues are not usually witnessed. How far can this be attributed to the anti-defection law, which was legislated but with a different intention?
Linkage: This explicitly states that Private Member’s Bills are one of the few remaining avenues for individual MPs to suggest constructive policy alternatives, and that the effectiveness of such mechanisms for independent legislative action by MPs has been curtailed, partly due to the unintended effects of the Anti-Defection Law.
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