Political Diary

New Delhi, 7 June 2014

New Speaker, New Chapter

FOR BETTER OR WORSE?

By Poonam I Kaushish

Will winds of change sweep across India’s Parliament? If you feel that’s impossible, knowing our Right Honourables' think again. A valiant effort is being made to ‘put-in’ reformation mode India’s high temple of democracy. Of course, it remains to be seen if our MPs’ play ‘fair’!

The 16th Lok Sabha scripted a “unanimous” new beginning on Friday last. When 71-year-old battle-hardened Sumitra Mahajan “Tai” (elder sister in Marathi), who created a record by winning 8-times in a row from the same Lok Sabha constituency Indore, rode high on optimism into history books, as India’s second lady Speaker.

With Government-Opposition ties hitting rock bottom which has marred the functioning of previous two Lok Sabhas’, the new Speaker known for her trademark simplicity made plain that she was no pushover, meant business and would not hesitate to crack the whip.

Creating “coordination” among Parties would be her top priority and she would be “gentle but firm” to ensure smooth proceedings. The former Union Minister asserted, “It is a challenge. I will be like a mother, who loves her kids and scolds them as well when needed.” Her message ran loud and clear: Put the Lok Sabha back on the rails.

It is a moot point whether she will be able to restore the Lok Sabha’s long lost glory, notwithstanding her intensions. Sadly over the decades the temple of democracy has got drowned in the cacophony of petty foggers, one-upmanship and conmanship. Will she be able to ensure Parliament functions through debate, discussion and consensus?

More so as the challenges confronting the nation have increased manifold. The country is today in the throes of economic stagnation, increasing social tensions. In addition, there are forces within and without eager to destabilise India and disrupt its unity and integrity. This calls for reasoned debate.

Yet, till date even a one-man Opposition army has prevented discussion by holding the House to ransom. Not a few members have made it a habit of rushing into the well of the House. All spew sheer contempt. Bringing things to such a pass that pursuit of power, pelf and patronage is replacing law making. The figures tell all. Parliament spends less than 10% of time on legislative matters and the most on trivialities.

Moreover, we take great pride in calling ourselves the world’s largest democracy. Yet most of us forget that Parliamentary democracy provides for a civilized form of Government based on discussion, debate and consensus. Alas, ruthless politics has taken over and discussions and debates have largely lost their meaning. Numbers alone matter and have become the sole criteria of success.

In this milieu, the Speaker’s role has become all the more important and demanding.   Few in India, however, appreciate even today the key role of the Speaker without whom, according to Erskine May, “the House has no Constitutional existence.” Nehru repeatedly emphasised the importance of the Office of the Speaker and laid emphasis on its prestige and authority.

Said he in 1958: “The Speaker represents the House. He represents the dignity of the House, the freedom and liberty. Therefore, it is right that his should be an honoured position, a free position and should be occupied always by men of outstanding ability and impartiality.” 

Alas, over like the years Parties have used Constitutional posts as lollipops to reward or oblige Party workers, the Speakership is no exception. Think. Although the Lok Sabha Rules of Procedure are largely based on the Westminster model, the all-important issue of having an independent Speaker was overlooked.

Under the Westminster system of Parliamentary democracy in Britain, an MP resigns from the Party on his election as Speaker. What is more, the Speaker is re-elected unopposed to the House of Commons in subsequent elections. But as one former Lok Sabha Speaker told me: “We are elected on Party tickets with Party funds. How can we claim independence? Moreover, even if we resign on becoming the Speaker, we would still have to go back to the same Party for sponsorship for the next election.”

Undeniably, to conduct the business of the House smoothly, there has to be stern discipline.  Discussions have to be made more meaningful and focused through a strict time schedule. Today, time management has become a joke. Most Speakers have been too indulgent, allowing Party leaders to speak endlessly, as though they are speaking in at a political rally.

Consequently, crucial legislative business meriting in-depth debate is rushed through with only a cursory glance. There is no such thing as first, second and third readings of bills as during Parliament’s golden era under Nehru. Unlike in past, demands for grants of various Ministries and Departments, running into lakhs of crores of rupees are guillotined without any discussion because time gets wasted on non-issues.

No doubt, Madam Speaker has to walk a tight rope. She has to ensure among other things that the Opposition has its say even as the Government has its way. For starters she needs to take a leaf out of the book of the West to save time, wherein the microphone is switched off as soon as a MP finishes his allotted time. Winston Churchill once told his party MPs that MPs should endeavour to make only one point in their speeches. It is the privilege of Prime Ministers alone to make two points!    

True, there is no magic remedy. The process has to be slow and long. Nevertheless, a meaningful beginning could be made if Speaker Mahajan puts an end to brazen rowdyism. The Chair needs to ensure that the House is not held to ransom through a ‘gang up’ of MPs determined to disrupt its smooth functioning.  Any member rushing into the well of the House should automatically stand suspended for a week.

What next? Clearly, it is time to rectify the flaws in our system. Rules have to be drastically changed to put Parliament back on track and ensure that none can hold the House to ransom. First and foremost, we have to be clear: There can be no place in a 21st-century Parliament for people upholding19th-century prejudices.

With 315 new MPs it remains to be seen if our jan sevaks adopt an attitude of cooperation rather than confrontation and adhere to rules. They must desist from reducing the circular sandstone building, our temple of democracy in to a monument like Taj Mahal or Qutab Minar. We know what pigeons do to them.

As Prime Minister Modi gets down to bringing change in governance, he must recognize the key role of the Speaker and enable her to serve India’s Parliamentary democracy impartially like a true servant with total loyalty and devotion. By adopting the British maxim: “Once Speaker always Speaker”

In the final analysis, Speaker Mahajan needs to heed Indira Gandhi’s words: “Parliament is even as a bulwark of democracy… It has also a very heavy task of keeping an image that will gain it the faith and respect of the people. Because, if that is lost, then I don’t know what could happen later.” That faith and respect requires to be restored and built by the new Speaker through a new chapter. Any takers? ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)