Accountability of Government and Parliamentary Oversight क्या है?
ऐतिहासिक पृष्ठभूमि
मुख्य प्रावधान
8 points- 1.
Collective Responsibility: Under Article 75(3), the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Similarly, Article 164(2) for state councils.
- 2.
Question Hour: The first hour of every parliamentary sitting, where MPs ask questions to ministers on various aspects of government policy and administration.
- 3.
Zero Hour: An informal device available to MPs to raise matters of urgent public importance without prior notice.
- 4.
Motions: Adjournment Motion (to discuss a definite matter of urgent public importance), Censure Motion (to express disapproval of the policy or action of the government), No-Confidence Motion (to remove the government from power, requires 50 members support).
- 5.
Parliamentary Committees: Standing Committees (e.g., Public Accounts Committee, Estimates Committee) and Ad Hoc Committees (e.g., Joint Parliamentary Committees) scrutinize bills, budgets, and government functioning.
- 6.
Budgetary Control: Parliament's power to approve the budget, demand for grants, and post-budget scrutiny by financial committees.
- 7.
Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005: Empowers citizens to seek information from public authorities, enhancing transparency and accountability.
- 8.
Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG): An independent authority (Article 148) that audits government accounts and reports to Parliament, ensuring financial accountability.
दृश्य सामग्री
Mechanisms of Parliamentary Oversight & Accountability
This mind map illustrates the key mechanisms through which the Indian Parliament holds the government accountable, linking constitutional principles with practical parliamentary devices.
Government Accountability & Parliamentary Oversight
- ●Constitutional Principle
- ●Parliamentary Devices
- ●Parliamentary Committees
- ●Challenges to Oversight (2023-25)
Key Parliamentary Motions for Government Accountability
This table compares important parliamentary motions used by the Opposition and members to hold the government accountable, differentiating their purpose, requirements, and implications.
| Motion Type | Purpose | Requirement | Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjournment Motion | To draw attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance. | Support of 50 members; requires Speaker's consent. | If admitted, normal business is set aside to discuss the matter. Involves an element of censure. |
| Censure Motion | To express strong disapproval of the policy or action of the government or a minister. | No specific rule, but usually moved by Opposition. Speaker decides admissibility. | If passed, it implies strong disapproval but does not lead to government resignation. |
| No-Confidence Motion | To test the confidence of the Lok Sabha in the Council of Ministers. | Support of 50 members. | If passed, the Council of Ministers must resign (Article 75(3)). Only in Lok Sabha. |
| Calling Attention Motion | To call attention of a minister to a matter of urgent public importance. | No specific rule, but requires Speaker's consent. | Minister makes a statement, no debate or voting. Less severe than Adjournment Motion. |
हालिया विकास
5 विकासIncreased use of Ordinances and Money Bill classification to bypass Rajya Sabha scrutiny, raising concerns about parliamentary oversight.
Decline in the number of sittings of Parliament and legislative scrutiny by committees.
Rise of social media and citizen journalism as additional avenues for public scrutiny, though not formal parliamentary oversight.
Debates around the effectiveness of Question Hour and Zero Hour due to frequent disruptions.
Calls for strengthening the role of Parliamentary Committees in pre-legislative scrutiny.