It’s a question that’s been asked many times, ad nauseam. Yet it needs to be posed again. Why are India’s enviably remunerated Members of Parliament, comfortably housed in clean-green Lutyens Delhi and showered with generous allowances (free-of-charge air and rail travel, petrol, telecom, secretarial etc) so irresponsible? More pertinently, why are they permitted — by public opinion and the law — to disrupt the constitutionally mandated debate and legislation business of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?

In the recently concluded Monsoon session of Parliament (July 21-August 14), the Lok Sabha conducted national business for only 37 of its scheduled 120 hours; and the Rajya Sabha, 41 hours. Despite the Speaker’s repeated pleas, parliamentary proceedings were disrupted by Congress and opposition MPs. Their grievance was against the sequence in which issues of national importance should be discussed. For instance they — in particular Rahul Gandhi, the official LoP (Leader of Opposition) in the Lok Sabha — were insistent that the issue of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls of Bihar where legislative assembly elections are scheduled for November, be given debate priority. This demand was backed by orchestrated pandemonium questioning the integrity of the Election Commission of India. Other issues on which LoP RaGa and his chorus demanded immediate out-of-turn debate were Operation Sindoor and alleged misuse of Central investigation agencies.

Such disrespectful behaviour sets a bad example for a nation which hosts the world’s largest youth population and is a betrayal of the trust reposed by the electorate in MPs. And when parliamentary proceedings are disrupted, bunched legislation is enacted into law with minimal debate and scrutiny. Bureaucrats insert wide discretionary powers for themselves in legislation, opening gates for corruption and rent-seeking. Moreover loosely drafted laws prompt litigation which has clogged India’s justice system.    

In addition when parliamentary business is obstructed, huge financial loss is suffered by the public exchequer. According to a 2012 calculation by the Delhi-based PRS Legislative Research, every hour of parliamentary time lost due to ‘non-sitting’ costs Rs.25 lakh by way of wasted direct expenditure (MPs’ allowances, staff salaries, infrastructure maintenance and operational expenses).  Adjusted for inflation the current cost per hour lost is an estimated Rs.33 lakh. In the recent monsoon session the Lok Sabha lost 84 of its scheduled 120 hours, and the Rajya Sabha 70, inflicting an aggregate loss of Rs.496 crore upon the exchequer. That’s an opportunity cost of constructing 50 rural primary schools.

Wasting parliamentary time is not a Congress disease. During the rule of the Congress-led UPA II government (2009-14), of the scheduled 1,100 parliamentary hours 352 were wasted because of disruption by the BJP/NDA parties. Grow up guys. Do your work with due diligence or quit.