Recent disruptions during Parliament sessions highlight the ongoing debate about legislative oversight effectiveness, making accountability mechanisms between Parliament and executive crucial for democratic governance.

Constitutional Framework for Parliamentary Accountability

• Collective Responsibility: Article 75(3) mandates Council of Ministers' collective responsibility to Lok Sabha, enabling no-confidence motions and ministerial resignations
• Question Hour Mechanism: Daily questioning of ministers ensures transparency on policy decisions, with over 20,000 questions raised annually in recent sessions
• Parliamentary Committees: 24 Department-Related Standing Committees conduct detailed scrutiny of ministries, budgets, and policy implementation
• Financial Control: Parliament's exclusive power over taxation and expenditure through annual budget approval and CAG audit reports
• Legislative Oversight: Power to pass, amend, or reject bills, ensuring executive proposals undergo parliamentary scrutiny

Areas Where Parliament Ensures Effective Accountability

• Budget Scrutiny: Standing Committee on Finance rigorously examines budget allocations, leading to modifications in schemes like PM-KISAN (2023-24)
• Committee System: PAC's examination of Rafale Deal (2019) and COVID-19 management (2021-22) demonstrated effective oversight
• Question Hour Impact: Regular questioning led to policy clarifications on issues like Agnipath Scheme (2022) and Three Farm Laws (2020-21)
• Adjournment Motions: Successfully raised urgent matters like Manipur violence (2023) and Delhi air pollution forcing government responses
• Parliamentary Debates: Comprehensive discussions on critical issues like Chinese border tensions ensuring executive accountability

Limitations in Parliamentary Oversight

• Anti-Defection Law: Tenth Schedule restricts individual member independence, reducing dissent within ruling party ranks
• Numerical Majority: Strong government majorities often neutralize opposition oversight, as seen in 2019-24 Lok Sabha proceedings
• Reduced Sitting Days: Parliament sessions averaging only 60-70 days annually limit scrutiny opportunities compared to global standards
• Ordinance Route: Executive bypassing Parliament through ordinances, like Three Farm Laws initial introduction, weakens legislative control
• Committee Effectiveness: Government often delays responses to committee recommendations, limiting their impact on policy formulation

Parliament possesses robust constitutional mechanisms for executive accountability, yet political realities and institutional constraints limit their effectiveness. Strengthening parliamentary procedures through reforms like mandatory committee report discussions and increased session days would enhance democratic oversight as envisioned in Article 75.