{"id":42587,"date":"2025-05-02T20:07:52","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T14:37:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=42587"},"modified":"2025-05-03T10:46:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-03T05:16:47","slug":"reviving-a-far-sighted-but-forgotten-bill-mechanism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/02-05-2025\/reviving-a-far-sighted-but-forgotten-bill-mechanism","title":{"rendered":"Reviving a Far-Sighted But Forgotten Bill Mechanism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Polity &amp; Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Despite its potential to introduce progressive laws, India\u2019s Private Member\u2019s Bill mechanism has steadily eroded over the years because frequent disruptions, adjournments, and the prioritization of government business.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the India&#8217;s Legislative Process&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>All legislative proposals are brought before Parliament in the form of Bills that can be introduced in either the Lok Sabha (Lower House) or Rajya Sabha (Upper House).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A Bill is a statute in draft<\/strong>, and no Bill can become law until it has received the approval of both the Houses of Parliament and <strong>assent of the President of India (Article 111).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2019s legislative framework allows for <strong>two types of Bills:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Public Member Bills<\/strong> (introduced by Ministers), <em>aka<\/em><strong><em> <\/em><\/strong><strong>Government Bills;<\/strong> and&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Private Member Bills<\/strong> (introduced by MPs who are not Ministers).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While Public Member Bills form the majority of laws passed, Private Member Bills serve as an important tool for MPs to propose independent legislation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Constitutional Provisions for Introduction and Passing of Bills in India<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Parliament of India<\/strong>: Articles 107-111<br>&#8211; <strong>State Legislatures:<\/strong> Articles 196-201<br><strong>Introduction of Bills&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Types of Bills:&nbsp;<\/strong><br>1. <strong>Ordinary Bills (Article 107):<\/strong> These can be introduced in either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha.<br>2. <strong>Money Bills (Article 110):<\/strong> These can only be introduced in Lok Sabha, with the Rajya Sabha having limited powers.<br>3. <strong>Financial Bills (Article 117):<\/strong> These require the President\u2019s recommendation before introduction.<br>4. <strong>Constitutional Amendment Bills (Article 368):<\/strong> These require a special majority for passage.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Private Member Bills<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-dominant-color=\"dcdcdc\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #dcdcdc;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"263\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/05\/notable-private-member-bills.png\" alt=\"private member bills\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-42589\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/05\/notable-private-member-bills.png 263w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/05\/notable-private-member-bills-232x300.png 232w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These allow non-Minister MPs to introduce legislation reflecting personal convictions, constituency demands, or emerging social needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>last two and half hours of the Sitting every Frida<\/strong>y are usually allotted for the transaction of Private Members&#8217; business.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Alternate Fridays<\/strong> are made available for <strong>Private Members&#8217; Bill,<\/strong> the other Friday being devoted to<strong> Private Members&#8217; Resolutions.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Decline in Private Member Bill Discussions: Trends<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Since Independence, only 14 Private Member Bills have been passed and received presidential assent.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No Private Member Bill has cleared both Houses of Parliament since 1970.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>17th Lok Sabha (2019-24):<\/strong> 729 Private Member Bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha, and 705 in the Rajya Sabha.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, only two in the Lok Sabha and 14 in the Rajya Sabha were ever discussed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>18th Lok Sabha (2024-Present):<\/strong> Only 20 MPs have introduced Private Member Bills so far.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>During the Budget Session of 2024, 64 Private Member Bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha, but none were discussed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significance of Private Member Bills (PMBs)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Encouraging Legislative Innovation:<\/strong> Private Member Bills provide MPs with a platform to introduce laws beyond party mandates.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Examples include the <strong>Right to Disconnect Bill<\/strong>, which sought to grant employees the legal right to disengage from work-related communication beyond official hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Democratic Engagement and Accountability: <\/strong>Empowers ordinary MPs to influence policy, thus strengthening parliamentary democracy.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Encourages diverse viewpoints and grassroots concerns to be raised in the House.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pressure Mechanism on the Government:<\/strong> PMBs often trigger debates and create public pressure, prompting the government to act on the issues raised.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Policy Testing Ground: <\/strong>PMBs act as a testing field for public and political reaction to policy ideas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reasons for Decline in PMBs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Lack of Legislative Time: <\/strong>Only Fridays are allotted for PMBs in both Houses, and even those sessions are often disrupted or adjourned. Government business takes precedence, leaving little time for PMB discussions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low Priority by Government and Whips: <\/strong>Ruling parties discourage MPs from supporting PMBs that contradict or overlap with government policies. Lack of official backing means PMBs often fail to garner enough support.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Procedural Hurdles: <\/strong>PMBs must pass through rigorous scrutiny and multiple stages like introduction, debate, and voting. Bureaucratic red tape and scheduling delays reduce the chance of progress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Executive Dominance in Legislature:<\/strong> Fusion of powers in the Indian system gives the executive significant control over legislative functions. This makes it harder for non-ministerial MPs to push independent legislative agendas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Political Will:<\/strong> PMBs are often viewed as symbolic rather than practical. Many MPs introduce PMBs for visibility or constituency signalling, not with the intent to see them passed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward: Recommendations for Revival<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Prioritizing Private Member Bill Discussions:<\/strong> Allocate dedicated time slots for Private Member Bill debates to ensure meaningful legislative engagement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reducing Disruptions<\/strong>: Prevent pre-emptive adjournments that hinder Private Member Bill discussions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Encouraging Cross-Party Collaboration:<\/strong> Foster bipartisan support for Private Member Bills that address pressing social and economic issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Priority Committee for PMBs: <\/strong>Establish a dedicated committee of experts and MPs to screen and shortlist high-impact PMBs for prioritized debate and voting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Extend Working Hours of Parliament: <\/strong>Increase sitting hours or allocate evening sessions to ensure that both government and private members\u2019 business receive adequate time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reviving the Private Member\u2019s Bill mechanism is crucial for strengthening India\u2019s democracy and ensuring legislative diversity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By prioritizing discussions, reducing disruptions, and fostering collaboration, India can restore the significance of Private Member Bills, allowing MPs to contribute meaningfully to the nation\u2019s governance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> Discuss the significance of reviving the Private Member\u2019s Bill mechanism in India&#8217;s legislative process. How does its decline affect democratic governance, and what steps can be taken to ensure its effective implementation?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/lead\/reviving-a-far-sighted-but-forgotten-bill-mechanism\/article69522308.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-2-May-2025.PDF.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite its potential to introduce progressive laws, India\u2019s Private Member\u2019s Bill mechanism has steadily eroded over the years because frequent disruptions, adjournments, and the prioritization of government business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42587"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42587\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42625,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42587\/revisions\/42625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}