Petition in SC demanding guidelines for preventing Parliament disruptions

Amidst the disruptions witnessed in the Parliament, the Supreme Court of India has been approached by the Foundation for Restoration of National Values, asking if guidelines can be laid down for the smooth, unobstructed and unhindered functioning of the Parliament of India.

The Petition says, “It is a matter of grave concern for the public at large, and for all right thinking Indians that the current monsoon session of Parliament (21 July to 13 August), has literally been washed away by sustained disruptions, unruly protests and abstinence by its elected constituents, thus gravely belying and eroding the faith and trust reposed in them by the electorate of India. Resultantly, several important bills and legislative measures have not seen the light of day, and the stalemate continues unabated.”

It brings to the Court’s notice that the working of the 15^th Lok Sabha over its five year term was disrupted frequently, making the productivity of the 15^th Lok Sabha to be the worst in the last fifty years. Disruptions during the term of the 15^th Lok Sabha resulted in the Lok Sabha working for 61% and the Rajya Sabha for 66% of its scheduled time, according to a credible in-depth research and study by PRS Legislative Search.

The Petition refers to the legislative agenda of the monsoon session of the Parliament, which has been convened from 21 July to August 13, 2015. The agenda includes 11 legislative bills currently pending in Parliament for consideration and the introduction of 9 new bills, which include important legislations such as the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, rehabilitation and Resettlement (Second Amendment) Bill 2015 and the Constitution (122^nd Amendment) Goods & Services Tax (GST) Bill 2014, among others.

However, Parliament has been facing disruptions and adjournments at the behest of some of the opposition parties since 22 July, which still continue unabated, despite certain measures, “thus resulting in Parliamentary business relating to matters of national and public importance, remaining inconclusive and pending.”

It further states, “This venerated institution, the uninterrupted working of which forms the core of our Constitutional scheme, and the life blood of Parliamentary democracy in this country, has been facing severe disruptions in its functioning from the representatives of the people, thereby gravely affecting the public and national interest, sullying the name and reputation of this august institution, and resulting in crores of public money being wasted on unproductive and marred sittings of Parliament.”

It says that the Parliament is unable to rid itself of the “malaise of disruptions and interruptions by its own constituents”, “which has brought this great institution and its pivotal role in a democracy, into disrepute, ridicule and public outcry”. The nature and manner of disruptions, which are wholly unacceptable in a civilized society, neither reflect dissent or censure, but criminal intimidation, unreasonable obstruction and breach of the public trust and faith, which ordinarily and otherwise would constitute offences punishable by law.

It hence prays for guidelines to be laid down to ensure that the public at large and the public exchequer are not adversely affected on account of Parliamentary proceedings being unreasonably and unjustifiably obstructed, stalled and disrupted.

Read the Petition here.