Some fairy tales are painful. The Indian Parliament today makes even fairly recent memories of debate, discussion and voting within its two chambers seem like a fairy tale, one that underlines the arrogant casualness with which politicians treat it today. The Parliament is not only the visible symbol of India’s democracy, it is also the heart of democratic governance. Parliament sittings have been declining rapidly since 2003, and many have simply been disrupted by the indiscipline of members of parliament from different parties. The number of sittings has touched a new low in 2008. As if that is not shameful enough, the sessions are mixed up. The month-long session opening on October 17 was planned as a “continuation” of the incredibly brief monsoon session in July. This so-called continuation was adjourned again from October 24, to be convened again in December at the behest of the Opposition, which offered the festive season and assembly elections as reasons. Apparently, all MPs would be away campaigning, as if that was more important than discharging their duty in Parliament. This also killed the possibility of a proper winter session. There will be no real Parliament before the Lok Sabha elections, except perhaps for a brief sitting in February to pass a vote on account.

About 40 sittings of the two houses of Parliament in one year — in place of a minimum of 100 days — should raise alarming questions about the functioning of democracy in India. It is not the government alone that is to be blamed, although it must be seen as the chief culprit. The Opposition, which urged the adjournment of the reconvened monsoon session in October, is equally responsible. In an access of virtue, MPs from the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Telugu Desam Party and the Left met the president in September demanding a reconvening of the monsoon session. Yet, MPs from these parties, as well as others including the Bharatiya Janata Party, are foremost in disrupting sitting after sitting by rushing to the well and causing turmoil. The last meetings this year were noisy with slogans against A.R. Antulay’s thoughtless comments on Hemant Karkare’s death and the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s furious shouting against the introduction of the insurance laws (amendment) bill.

The two houses passed 12 bills on the last day of the session, that too in the interludes between adjournments. Five bills were passed in 15 minutes. While important bills may have to wait three years before being tabled — for “lack of time” — other bills are passed hastily as a kind of show that Parliament is functioning. It has to be asked what the point is of electing representatives when they fail at doing their most basic duty. The diminution of Parliament is not just a diminution of democracy, it is a threat to its informing principle.