India’s experience with Parliamentary form of Government is closely intertwined with the British system. For, India adopted the Westminster Model as it was deemed necessary remedy for evils confronting Indian Society.
But, in recent years Parliamentary system has shown tendencies that have belied the expectations. It is more and more becoming a hand maiden of Cabinet under the leadership of the Prime Minister.
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Reasons:
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The major reasons for decline of Parliament in India have been
1. Growing authority of the Cabinet.
2. Changing socio-economic composition.
3. Changing quality of debate and irrational conflict and hatreds among members.
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4. Lack of enlightened public opinion to enforce accountability on representatives.
5. Political populism and nepotism.
6. Lack of accommodative as well as assertive posture on the part of leadership in view of coalition politics.
7. Growing penetration of elites and vested interests in the main stream of the political arena.
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8. Elections becoming a costly affair have rendered the genuine leaders taking recourse to social activities instead of political participation.
9. Lack of provisions in the Constitutions governing the power and privileges of Parliamentarians. The failure to fully acknowledge the dimension of society and economy have problematized the functioning the Parliament.
Despite limitations, Parliament has been able to survive with ups and down. The problem is not with the institution but with the people mechanizing the instrumentality of the institution. Perhaps the survival of Parliamentary institution can be explained best in terms of people’s faith in them.
But, to make it an effective deliberative body to deliver the requirements of socio-economic justice, the intellegentia, youth and conscious sections of the society will have to come forward. Only then Parliament can become the supreme temple of democracy and freedom.