Mockery on democracy

Something urgent must be done by India’s political parties if they truly cherish the democratic mandate that placed them in power. Time and again, Parliament, the very forum where elected representatives deliberate and decide on the nation’s future, has increasingly become a theater of obstruction rather than a chamber of deliberation. Sessions are routinely cut short, disrupted by unruly scenes, or rendered unproductive by sustained protest. This is not mere political theatre; it is a collapse of a working democracy’s basic machinery. At the heart of the crisis lies a bitter symmetry of the ruling party controlling the parliamentary agenda, while the opposition wielding disruption as its principal lever. Ruling party governments accuse opposition members of stalling governance. On their party, the opposition charge the ruling with authoritarianism and evasion. This results in paralysis where debate- the engine that refines policy, tests ideas and holds power to account-grinds to a halt. When that engine stops, the legislative process breaks down, and governance suffers. Superficial exhortations to “behave” are unlikely to suffice. Politicians don’t behave when they get any opportunity to hit at their opponents. The only way is to implement structural reforms that alter incentives and restore the institution’s functionality. First, parliamentary time must be redistributed in ways that reduce the opposition’s perceived need to disrupt. Many Westminster systems reserve specific days when the opposition sets the agenda. If the opposition is guaranteed a protected slot to raise pressing issues-be it security lapses, economic policy failures, or public grievances-there is less incentive to derail the government’s legislative business. Guaranteed access forces engagement and compels the majority to respond substantively rather than sidestep criticism. Equally crucial is restoring the Speaker’s credibility as an impartial arbiter. The Speaker’s authority is meaningful only when the office is seen as above party. A simple but powerful convention would be to institutionalize the practice that a Member who accepts the Speaker’s chair relinquishes party affiliation. An independent, non-partisan Speaker would serve as an honest referee, applying the rules evenhandedly and holding the government to account for stonewalling just as readily as the opposition for disorderly conduct. Strengthening the opposition’s institutional role would also improve parliamentary quality. Like the Westminster convention, a formal “shadow cabinet,” mirroring ministerial portfolios, would push debates toward policy specifics rather than performative protest. When critiques are accompanied by data, alternative policies and targeted scrutiny, the discourse shifts from cacophony to constructive contestation-benefiting both legislation and public understanding. Also, procedural safeguards are also necessary to protect parliamentary time. The government currently controls sitting schedules and can, effectively, starve debate. A statutory or constitutional mandate for a minimum number of sitting days-say 100 to 120 per year-would prevent government-led chronic under-sitting and create predictable space for scrutiny. Similarly, rules that allow the government to “guillotine” bills or pass major financial measures by voice vote amid chaos must be tightened. Legislatures should require a minimum debate period for all significant financial and contentious bills, making it procedurally impossible to bypass discussion even in the face of protests. India’s democracy is resilient, but resilience depends on institutions that work. Political parties must choose whether they will be stewards of democratic process or heirs to its erosion. If they truly value the mandate conferred by voters, they must accept reforms that privilege deliberation over disruption, impartiality over partisanship, and procedures that ensure Parliament performs the work for which it was elected. Otherwise, the “Temple of Democracy” risks becoming a silent monument to what it once was.