Improving quality of legislative business

by NANDKUMAR KAMAT
Posted on 2008-08-18
The unexpectedly truncated monsoon session of Goa legislative assembly begins today. The speaker has taken certain important and laudable decisions to increase the intellectual level of the assembly and also get inputs from the members of Goa’s well-educated civil society. Formation of various committees under the members of the House to vet and verify the budget proposals was one of the bold, progressive and pro-people initiative by the Speaker, Mr Pratapsingh Rane.
Throwing the modern library of Goa legislature open to all users was another initiative. The decision of live telecast of the current assembly session would be widely welcomed by the people who are not very happy with the individual and collective performance of their elected representatives. So those who are not in a position to get admission to the visitors’ galleries now have a chance to view the live telecasts. This would add to the performance pressure of the members and unless they come well studied and prepared they would not be able to make any impression on the viewers.
Our MLAs need to understand the simple but fundamental principle of their membership to the August assembly. It states that - a legislator’s primary function is to legislate - make good laws. There is no barrier for any MLA to draft and introduce any number of good legislations. But we seldom see such efforts. Even the government which has taken a wonderful step to set up a law commission has a huge backlog of urgent amendments to several laws. Such pending legislative reforms due to disinterest or ill preparedness of the treasury benches result in chronic stagnation in the administration and impacts the quality of governance. The price has to be paid by the common people.
Traffic violators and habitual gamblers get away with ridiculous fines and make a mockery of the punitive sections of the laws just because government does not care to move amendments to these old sections. Goa legislative assembly is seriously lagging behind as compared to many larger states, in its main function - legislations and legislative reforms. This would have serious consequences in future and there is fear that a new culture of “governing by ordinances instead of facing the assembly” would become popular.
It is universally recognised that state assemblies and national parliaments represent the democratic aspirations of the people. The elected members, irrespective of their political ideologies, affiliations, constituencies - have the power to make a difference in the lives of the common people, the future of the state and contribute solidly and creatively to the advancement of the country. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Union (CPU) of which the Speaker of Goa assembly is an automatic member - has time and again stressed the need to use the legislative functions of the assemblies and the parliaments effectively to fulfill humanity’s common agenda as enshrined in the United Nations’ millenium goals. CPU expects Goa legislative assembly to rise to the occasion and consistent with the image of the state lead by example.
The members of Goa assembly are experiencing the benefits and comforts of the 21st century. They need to prove themselves fit to accept the ideas and challenges of 21st century. They need to prove themselves as creative and dynamic legislators who are sensitive to the needs of the masses. They inherit the great legacy of political economists like Dr Francisco Luis Gomes who proved himself as a great parliamentarian in Europe. It has been my personal and critical observation that the overall quantum as well as the quality of the legislative business has deteriorated over the past ten years. People have come to view assembly sessions as occasions to engage into political recombinations and toppling games. With certain predictability such things are happening almost every year during the monsoon sessions.
People have absolutely no control over their MLAs. They may suddenly decide to resign, then change mind or switch sides or engage in political alignments and realignments. An accommodative, friendly government and a critical but constructive opposition are mandatory elements of a vibrant assembly. Very rarely we see a convergence of opinions on the floor of the House but for a small state like Goa for both the ruling alliance and the opposition the assembly needs to be a testing ground for new and creative ideas, a platform to showcase better public policies, a nursery to breed new legislative leadership and a sacred altar of democracy which would enthuse the younger generation.
What people have witnessed in the Goa assembly sessions over the years does not leave a good taste in the mouth. For the younger generation which seriously takes textbook lessons in civics and political science and participates enthusiastically in mock parliament contests - a badly managed assembly session is a setback, a warning, a depressing and pessimistic situation. Such conditions sow the seeds of anarchy when people see their institutions failing them. Despite the pitfalls, as a democrat I have the highest regards for Goa legislative assembly. I see a huge potential for this August house to be a lighthouse of democracy for the whole world provided the quality of legislative business improves incrementally.
Members of the legislative assembly have the constitutional responsibility that they do not send a wrong signal to half a million young voters in Goa on whose shoulders this democracy is expected to stand and prosper in future. Therefore, it is in the interest of every political party and their MLAs that they contribute creatively to the business of the assembly to uplift its image and inspire the youth. There are certainly mature MLAs in the present legislative assembly of Goa. It is in their hands to raise the quality of the legislative business.
Earlier, the monsoon sessions used to be more than three weeks long. The present session may not give equitable chance to all the MLAs who are not ministers to participate effectively because the duration is short. Sessions of short duration may deprive the members from using legislative tools like short notice questions, calling attention motions etc. The business advisory committee needs to seriously look into the matter of optimal duration for effective assembly sessions. Senior officers in the government are crying for legislative reforms to improve the quality and efficiency of the administration. But how the government would include amendments and new legislations in the agenda if the sessions are curtailed? There would be always areas where the leader of the House and the leader of the opposition may not agree. But there are several other areas for agreement - and one such area is increasing the quality of the legislative business and promoting good legislations. People are not interested in viewing the telecasts of the sessions merely for entertainment - they need accountability, performance and enlightenment. Would this session fulfill their humble expectations? Let us keep our fingers crossed.