Strengthening parliamentary oversight in India, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• India’s legislative oversight has weakened over time due to limited scrutiny by Parliamentary Committees and the executive bypassing accountability.
• Standing Committees often meet infrequently or lack follow-up; their findings rarely translate into policy or legislative action.
• The article emphasizes the need for “Maximum Accountability” alongside “Maximum Governance”.
• Suggests reforms including mandatory discussion of DRSC reports, institutionalized research support, and tech adoption to enhance scrutiny.

Detailed Insights:

A Diminishing Role

• Though Parliament is equipped with tools like Question Hour, Zero Hour, and Committees, oversight is often reactive rather than proactive.
• Committees often suffer from:
• Temporary nature of membership.
• Limited technical support and institutional memory.
• Low political incentives to enforce recommendations.

Examples of Positive Impact

• Railways Standing Committee: Recommended waiving dividends in 2016 to help improve finances.
• Transport Committee: Amended Motor Vehicles Bill in 2017 to cap third-party insurance and establish a National Road Safety Board.
• Public Undertakings and PAC: Influenced capital expenditure and domestic production in defence.

Recommendations for Reform

• Make Committee findings public with translation into local languages, short videos, and visual explainers.
• Mandate DRSC report discussions in Parliament, with formal ministerial replies.
• Strengthen support staff for MPs, allowing deeper budget and bill scrutiny.
• Create cross-ministerial subcommittees for systemic issues.

Role of Technology

• Use of AI and data analytics to flag irregularities and generate real-time dashboards.
• Helps bridge the expertise gap that often hinders legislative functioning.

Scientific/Administrative Concepts Involved:

• Parliamentary Standing Committees (DRSCs): Department-specific bodies responsible for scrutinizing policies and bills.
• Zero Hour and Question Hour: Parliamentary tools to raise urgent matters and hold the executive accountable.
• Public Accounts Committee (PAC): Audits government expenditures to ensure transparency.

Significance:

• Enhanced oversight would:
• Improve transparency and public trust in Parliament.
• Strengthen the separation of powers and reinforce the democratic accountability of the executive.
• Improve the quality of governance by linking legislative inputs to policy outcomes.

Mains Mock Question:

"Discuss the role of Parliamentary Committees in enhancing legislative oversight in India. What reforms are needed to make them more effective and accountable?"