QUE : Healthy debate is essential for the strong functioning of parliamentary work in India, discuss the challenges before the Parliament and give appropriate suggestions.

March 18, 2026

The main function of the Parliament is to make laws for the country. In the Indian parliamentary tradition, every bill goes through a detailed debate in both the houses before being passed. The main function of the Rajya Sabha is also for checks and balances in the Indian parliamentary tradition. A healthy debate on any subject reflects the views of the people including the good and bad aspects, provisions etc. related to that subject.
Various means have been provided in the Parliament in India to discuss any subject. The Parliament has been provided with the means to discuss any issue through Zero Hour, Question Hour, various types of motions such as Calling Attention Motion, Censor Motion, Half Hour Discussion, Point of Order, Special Mention, etc.

Challenges before the functioning of the Parliament:
Frequent obstructions and adjournments are the main challenges in the functioning of the Indian Parliament. The functioning of the Parliament is hindered by the opposition party. Which deprives the Parliament of its legal and representative role. And the time and resources of the Parliament are wasted.

Lack of participation: There is a lack of participation by the members in the functioning of the Parliament. Many members are absent from the parliamentary sessions and do not even participate in the discussions which reduces the effective representation and quality. E.g. The 2021 Budget Session recorded only 13.63% attendance which is the lowest ever.

Poor quality of proposed bills: The laws passed by the Parliament often lack clarity. Which leads to its undecided implementation.

Lack of diversity: The representation of women, minorities, backward communities in the Parliament is limited. Which shows the unbalanced representation of different sections of the society.

Low productivity: The productivity of the Indian Parliament is low compared to other democracies. The sessions are very short and the attendance of the members of Parliament is also low. Proposed bills take a long time to pass. Important bills are delayed or dropped due to pending bills, process delays.

To address these challenges, various measures should be followed such as implementing the rules of conduct and performance of all members during the session of the Parliamentary Code of Conduct. It helps in maintaining the dignity and respect of the House among the people and increases participation. Apart from this, by promoting the use of technology, its use in parliamentary proceedings can be enhanced through various portals and apps.

Maximum use of committee tradition is very important to discuss, analyze and make necessary changes in any bill. Through which the productivity and quality of parliamentary work increases. If necessary, disciplinary action can be taken and the MP can be suspended or excluded from the proceedings of the House for misconduct.

The Indian Parliament is facing some of the above-mentioned challenges, which are directly impacting its productivity and efficiency. But the continuous incorporation of code of conduct, technology adoption, committee system, disciplinary action in the functioning can improve the effectiveness of democratic institutions through transparency, accountability and inclusiveness.