House decorum: on the functioning of Parliament

The ruling party and the opposition must rise above (से ऊपर उठना) partisanship

The Lok Sabha rejected by voice vote, on March 11, a resolution (प्रस्ताव, संकल्प) under Article 94(C) of the Constitution for the removal of Lok Sabha Speaker (अध्यक्ष) Om Birla from office, but only after a hostile (शत्रुतापूर्ण, विरोधात्मक) debate on the functioning (कामकाज, कार्यप्रणाली) of the House (सदन, संसद का सदन) deepened (और गहरा किया, बढ़ा दिया) the wedge (दरार, फूट, विभाजन) between the government and the Opposition. In principle (सिद्धांत रूप में), Parliament is the foundation (आधार, नींव) of representative democracy (प्रतिनिधिक लोकतंत्र), and its routine functions act as an instrument (mechanism, vehicle, medium, means) that holds the cabinet (The central decision-making body of the executive branch, composed of senior government ministers responsible for policy formation; council of ministers, executive) accountable. As a forum (platform, assembly, gathering, medium) for government-Opposition interaction (engagement, communication), it is meant to operate in a structured (organized, systematized, arranged, well-ordered), methodical (systematic, orderly, disciplined, organized) way. Single-party dominance (supremacy, control, hegemony, authority) has eroded (destroy, diminish, undermine, weaken) all these formal and informal functions (कार्य, भूमिका, दायित्व) of legislatures at all levels, and the Lok Sabha, sadly, has become a platform for political partisanship (Strong, unwavering, and prejudiced support for a particular political party, cause, or person; bias, prejudice, one-sidedness, partiality). In recent years, the chairs (presiding officer, chairperson, head, the speaker) of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have been dragged into political conflict (A prolonged struggle for power, influence, or ideological supremacy between political actors; political dispute, clash, disagreement, friction). In 2024, there was an Opposition resolution to remove Jagdeep Dhankhar as Rajya Sabha Chairman. Though the resolution did not pass (approve, enact, ratify, clear), he resigned as Vice-President for unexplained reasons. The Opposition has raised concerns over the Lok Sabha’s functioning, but what precipitated (bring about, trigger, provoke, cause) their protest into a formal resolution for Mr. Birla’s removal was, possibly (perhaps, maybe, conceivably, potentially), his statement (announcement, remark, assertion) that he had confidential (secret, classified, private, undisclosed) knowledge that Congress women MPs might act against (oppose, go against, defy, resist) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the House floor (The central physical space in a legislative assembly where debates take place and members vote on legislation; legislative/debating chamber, assembly floor, parliamentary floor).

Opposition MPs are routinely (regularly, consistently, normally, habitually) denied the opportunity to raise (bring up, introduce, table, moot) substantive issues, though the government cites statistics in its rebuttal (A formal argument or evidence presented to contradict or disprove an opposing statement or claim; refutation, denial, counter-argument, counter-statement). The Speaker had disallowed (reject, refuse, prohibit, ban) Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi from quoting former Army Chief M.M. Naravane’s unpublished memoir (A historical or personal narrative written from the author’s own knowledge and experiences; autobiography, personal account, biography), which discusses Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the 2020 military standoff (deadlock, stalemate, impasse) with China. The microphones of Opposition MPs are frequently switched off during debates. The Opposition has pointed out that in February, Mr. Gandhi was interrupted 20 times while speaking during the Motion of Thanks (A formal parliamentary mechanism moved in both Houses of Parliament to discuss and express gratitude for the President’s Address, which outlines the government’s policies and legislative agenda) to the President’s Address and also blocked from raising the Gautam Adani investigation issue in the U.S. and the EU-U.S. trade deal (A bilateral economic agreement or proposed framework between the European Union and the United States designed to reduce trade barriers, harmonize regulations, and boost mutual investment). The government argued that the Opposition was given 56% of Zero Hour (the opportunity for MPs to raise national issues without an advance notice became available at 12 pm and could last for an hour until the House adjourned for lunch. This led to the hour being popularly referred to as Zero Hour and the issues being raised during this time as Zero Hour submissions. During this time, members raise issues pertinent to their constituents and of wider public interest) time, and that NDA MPs, despite their majority, received 321 supplementary questions (A follow-up question raised during parliamentary proceedings to seek further clarification on a minister’s response to an original query; follow-up question, additional question, extra inquiry, secondary question) against the Opposition’s 364 during his tenure. Home Minister Amit Shah said that the House’s productivity (efficiency, output, performance) during Mr. Birla’s tenure had been high and that it had debated in 14 regional languages. Mr. Shah also cornered (to force a political opponent or group into a difficult, restrictive, or inescapable position during a debate or legislative session, leaving them unable to easily defend themselves; trap, pin down, outmaneuver, hem in) Mr. Gandhi for being frequently absent from the House. The resolution and the debate manifested a deeply (profoundly, intensely, utterly, completely) fractured polity (An organized society, such as a nation, state, or community, structured by a specific form of civil government; society, state, nation, community) in need of urgent corrective (remedial, curative, restorative, rectifying) measures. The ruling majority and the Opposition must rise above partisanship and restore (reinstate, bring back, re-establish, revive) the majesty (The supreme dignity, grandeur, and institutional authority of an established body like Parliament; dignity, grandeur, magnificence, glory) of Parliament.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.The House (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सदन, संसद का सदन
English Meaning - A legislative assembly, specifically referring here to the Lok Sabha (or Rajya Sabha); parliament, legislative body, lower house.

2.decorum (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शिष्टाचार, मर्यादा
English Meaning - propriety, decency, protocol, etiquette.

3.the functioning (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कामकाज, कार्यप्रणाली
English Meaning - The action of operating or performing in a particular or intended way; operation, working, performance.

4.rise above (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - से ऊपर उठना
English Meaning - overcome, surmount, conquer, get over.

5.representative democracy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिनिधिक लोकतंत्र
English Meaning - A democratic system of government where elected officials represent a group of people, as opposed to direct democracy; parliamentary democracy, electoral democracy, representative government.

6.resolution (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रस्ताव, संकल्प
English Meaning - a resolution is one of the most important procedural devices to raise discussion in the House/Assembly on a matter of general interest; decision (or) declaration (by all members of the Assembly, it usually requires a simple majority (50 percent of all votes plus one) to pass.

7.foundation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आधार, नींव
English Meaning - cornerstone, base, bedrock, groundwork.

8.Speaker (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अध्यक्ष
English Meaning - The principal presiding officer of the Lok Sabha who is responsible for conducting the business of the House and maintaining discipline and decorum; presiding officer, chair, chairperson, head.

9.hostile (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - शत्रुतापूर्ण, विरोधात्मक
English Meaning - displaying strong opposition, unfriendliness, or aggression; aggressive, belligerent, confrontational.

10.deepened (verb)

Hindi Meaning - और गहरा किया, बढ़ा दिया
English Meaning - intensified, increased, heightened, magnified.

11.wedge (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दरार, फूट, विभाजन
English Meaning - division, split, rift.

12.Article 94(C) of the Constitution of India (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भारतीय संविधान का अनुच्छेद 94(सी)
English Meaning - A constitutional provision mandating that a member holding office as Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha may be removed from office by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the House.

13.drive a wedge (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - दरार पैदा करना
English Meaning - to cause a deep and damaging division, disagreement, or hostility between people, factions, or groups; create a divide, alienate, estrange, sow discord.

14.In principle (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - सिद्धांत रूप में
English Meaning - fundamentally, in theory, conceptually, theoretically.

15.function (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्य, भूमिका, दायित्व
English Meaning - duty, role, task.

16.partisanship (noun)

English Meaning - Strong, unwavering, and prejudiced support for a particular political party, cause, or person; bias, prejudice, one-sidedness, partiality.

17.voice vote (noun)

English Meaning - A voting method in legislative assemblies where a vote is taken by members responding vocally, typically by saying “Aye” or “No”; vocal vote, oral vote.

18.resolution (noun)

English Meaning - A formal expression of opinion, will, or intention agreed upon by a legislative body through a vote; motion, proposal.

19.Lok Sabha (noun)

English Meaning - Constitutionally recognized as the House of the People, the lower house of India’s bicameral Parliament, consisting of representatives chosen by direct public election.

20.Rajya Sabha (noun)

English Meaning - Constitutionally known as the Council of States, it is the upper house of India’s bicameral Parliament, intended to protect the interests of the states and union territories.

21.act as (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - serve as, function as, operate as, work as.

22.instrument (noun)

English Meaning - mechanism, vehicle, medium, means.

23.hold accountable (phrase)

English Meaning - to require someone to explain their actions or decisions, and to accept responsibility for them; make responsible, hold responsible, make answerable, hold liable.

24.cabinet (noun)

English Meaning - The central decision-making body of the executive branch, composed of senior government ministers responsible for policy formation; council of ministers, executive.

25.forum (noun)

English Meaning - platform, assembly, gathering, medium.

26.interaction (noun)

English Meaning - engagement, communication.

27.structured (adjective)

English Meaning - organized, systematized, arranged, well-ordered.

28.methodical (adjective)

English Meaning - systematic, orderly, disciplined, organized.

29.dominance (noun)

English Meaning - supremacy, control, hegemony, authority.

30.erode (verb)

English Meaning - destroy, diminish, undermine, weaken.

31.legislature (noun)

English Meaning - The officially elected deliberative body empowered to make, amend, and repeal laws; parliament, assembly, law-making body, council.

32.political partisanship (noun)

English Meaning - political bias, factionalism, one-sidedness, sectarianism.

33.the chair (noun)

English Meaning - presiding officer, chairperson, head, the speaker.

34.drag into (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - involve, draw in, entangle, mix up.

35.political conflict (noun)

English Meaning - A prolonged struggle for power, influence, or ideological supremacy between political actors; political dispute, clash, disagreement, friction.

36.conflict (noun)

English Meaning - dispute, quarrel, confrontation, friction.

37.Chairman (noun)

English Meaning - The presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha, ex-officio held by the Vice-President of India, responsible for the orderly conduct of the upper house; presiding officer, chair, chairperson, head.

38.pass (verb)

English Meaning - approve, enact, ratify, clear.

39.raise concerns (phrase)

English Meaning - express anxiety, voice doubt, highlight worries, show apprehension.

40.precipitate (verb)

English Meaning - bring about, trigger, provoke, cause.

41.possibly (adverb)

English Meaning - perhaps, maybe, conceivably, potentially.

42.statement (noun)

English Meaning - announcement, remark, assertion.

43.confidential (adjective)

English Meaning - secret, classified, private, undisclosed.

44.knowledge (noun)

English Meaning - information, understanding, awareness, comprehension.

45.act against (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - oppose, go against, defy, resist.

46.the House floor (noun)

English Meaning - The central physical space in a legislative assembly where debates take place and members vote on legislation; legislative/debating chamber, assembly floor, parliamentary floor,

47.routinely (adverb)

English Meaning - regularly, consistently, normally, habitually.

48.raise (verb)

English Meaning - bring up, introduce, table, moot.

49.substantive (adjective)

English Meaning - significant, meaningful, important, substantial.

50.cite (verb)

English Meaning - quote, refer to, mention, allude to.

51.rebuttal (noun)

English Meaning - A formal argument or evidence presented to contradict or disprove an opposing statement or claim; refutation, denial, counter-argument, counter-statement.

52.disallow (verb)

English Meaning - reject, refuse, prohibit, ban.

53.Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha) (noun)

English Meaning - The statutory parliamentary position assigned to the leader of the largest recognized opposition party in the Lok Sabha, whose formal mandate is to provide constructive criticism of government policies and present alternative governance strategies.

54.quote (verb)

English Meaning - recite, repeat, extract, reproduce.

55.memoir (noun)

English Meaning - A historical or personal narrative written from the author’s own knowledge and experiences; autobiography, personal account, biography.

56.standoff (noun)

English Meaning - deadlock, stalemate, impasse.

57.point out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - indicate, highlight, draw attention to, specify.

58.Motion of Thanks (noun)

English Meaning - A formal parliamentary mechanism moved in both Houses of Parliament to discuss and express gratitude for the President’s Address, which outlines the government’s policies and legislative agenda.

59.Address (noun)

English Meaning - A formal and significant speech delivered to an audience, such as the President’s address to a joint sitting of Parliament; speech, talk, discourse, oration.

60.EU-U.S. trade deal (noun)

English Meaning - A bilateral economic agreement or proposed framework between the European Union and the United States designed to reduce trade barriers, harmonize regulations, and boost mutual investment.

61.trade deal (noun)

English Meaning - trade agreement, economic pact, bilateral treaty, commercial accord.

62.Question Hour (noun)

English Meaning - Question Hour is the liveliest hour in Parliament and it is taken up from 1100hrs to 1200 hrs in every sitting. It is during this one hour that Members of Parliament ask questions of ministers and hold them accountable for the functioning of their ministries. The questions that MPs ask are designed to elicit (bring out) information and trigger suitable action by ministries.

63.zero hour (noun)

English Meaning - the opportunity for MPs to raise national issues without an advance notice became available at 12 pm and could last for an hour until the House adjourned for lunch. This led to the hour being popularly referred to as Zero Hour and the issues being raised during this time as Zero Hour submissions. During this time, members raise issues pertinent to their constituents and of wider public interest.

64.supplementary (adjective)

English Meaning - additional, extra, complementary, secondary.

65.supplementary question (noun)

English Meaning - A follow-up question raised during parliamentary proceedings to seek further clarification on a minister’s response to an original query; follow-up question, additional question, extra inquiry, secondary question.

66.tenure (noun)

English Meaning - term of office, term, incumbency, stint.

67.productivity (noun)

English Meaning - efficiency, output, performance.

68.corner (verb)

English Meaning - to force a political opponent or group into a difficult, restrictive, or inescapable position during a debate or legislative session, leaving them unable to easily defend themselves; trap, pin down, outmaneuver, hem in.

69.manifest (verb)

English Meaning - display, show, exhibit, demonstrate.

70.deeply (adverb)

English Meaning - profoundly, intensely, utterly, completely.

71.fractured (adjective)

English Meaning - divided, split, fragmented, polarized.

72.polity (noun)

English Meaning - An organized society, such as a nation, state, or community, structured by a specific form of civil government; society, state, nation, community.

73.in need of (phrase)

English Meaning - requiring, wanting, lacking, demanding.

74.corrective (adjective)

English Meaning - remedial, curative, restorative, rectifying.

75.measure (noun)

English Meaning - step, action, proceeding, procedure.

76.restore (verb)

English Meaning - reinstate, bring back, re-establish, revive.

77.majesty (noun)

English Meaning - The supreme dignity, grandeur, and institutional authority of an established body like Parliament; dignity, grandeur, magnificence, glory.