ID :
20483
Mon, 09/22/2008 - 09:55
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/20483
The shortlink copeid
LS Speaker wants erring lawmakers to be recalled
Chandigarh, Sep 21 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee Sunday made a strong pitch for introducing a "recall system" which will give the constituents the right to withdraw their elected representative if he indulges in "improper" conduct.
Asserting that the behaviour of lawmakers was leading
to "growing sense of disillusionment" among a large section of
people about the efficacy of democratic institutions,
Chatterjee said dignified conduct of people's representative
is essential not only when they are inside the chambers of the
legislatures, but also in society at large.
"An impression has gained ground that people with
access to political power, resource and influence can remain
out of the reach of the legal processes," he said inaugurating
the 73rd Conference of the Presiding Officers (POs) of the
legislative bodies in India.
Chatterjee said there was a need to "urgently address
the issue of decline of personal integrity and probity in
public life, and to reinforce public faith in our democratic
institutions".
Describing the 'Zero Hour' as the the most "unruly
period" of the house proceedings, he said, "I believe the time
has come when we must seriously consider the desirability of
having the 'Zero Hour'".
Addressing presiding officers of the Lok Sabha, Rajya
Sabha and 28 state assemblies, Chatterjee, however, said, that
a Committee of POs in 1998 while examining the problem of time
management had recognised the importance of 'Zero Hour' but
recommended that not more than 30 minutes per day be allotted
for it which had to be regulated strictly."
Chatterjee said "The 'right to recall' is based on the
principle that elected members of representative bodies should
be accountable and answerable to their constituents at all
times, both inside and outside the Legislatures."
He said, "if a member is found to be insensitive,
incompetent, corrupt, indifferent to the problems of the
people, his duties or indulges in activities or behaves in a
manner unbecoming of a people's representative, I feel, his
constituents should be in a position to demand his recall
before the expiry of his term."
Hitting out at lawmakers for their unruly conduct in
the House, Chatterjee said that "the use of muscle and money
power in our electoral process and criminalisation of politics
has vitiated the political environment in the country and also
the smooth functioning of our Legislatures.
"Competitive and confrontational politics has seriously
compromised the ability of the House to conduct its business
in an orderly manner," he said.
Such disruptions and forced adjournments of House
proceedings not only led to wastage of precious time resulting
in loss of huge sums of taxpayers' money, important
legislations, and even the Budget, are passed without debate
due to disruptions.
The Lok Sabha Speaker said that forced adjournments
lead to suspension of Question Hour, thereby denying
opportunities to members who want to raise issues of public
importance on the floor of the House.
"All this amounts to abdicating the responsibility of
ensuring the accountability of the Executive to the
Legislature, which is the foundational basis of parliamentary
governance," he said adding such disruptions have only
accentuated the public disillusionment about the working of
our democratic institutions.
Chatterjee regretted that today's political atmosphere,
"characterised by intolerance, divisiveness, confrontation and
disrespect for dissent, is increasingly corroding our
socio-political system.
"Confrontational politics, based on political
polarisation around primordial loyalties of caste, religion,
region and language, has only accentuated existing societal
fault lines."
The Speaker said that in many parts of the country,
political power has become an "instrument to promote a
partisan and sectarian agenda, which is coming in the way of
achieving an inclusive democracy."
"Our democratic institutions are, in large measure,
reflective of the divisiveness in our socio-political life,
thereby weakening their capacity in addressing meaningfully
the problems the people are faced with," he added.
The Legislature, Chatterjee said, has come in for
greater share of public criticism because of the conduct of
members inside the Chambers of our Legislatures leading to
frequent disruptions and the resultant inability of the House
to transact business, wastage of time and public money.
Chatterjee said there is a growing sense of
disillusionment among large sections of our people about the
efficacy of our democratic governance structures and
institutions to address the legitimate concerns and problems
of different sections of society.
"When the democratic institutions continuously fail to
tackle the genuine concerns and aspirations of the people,
their faith in the utility of such institutions will be
undermined as the institutions themselves will have lost the
rationale behind their very existence which is to advance the
public good and the welfare of the teeming masses," he added.
PTI AKA
Asserting that the behaviour of lawmakers was leading
to "growing sense of disillusionment" among a large section of
people about the efficacy of democratic institutions,
Chatterjee said dignified conduct of people's representative
is essential not only when they are inside the chambers of the
legislatures, but also in society at large.
"An impression has gained ground that people with
access to political power, resource and influence can remain
out of the reach of the legal processes," he said inaugurating
the 73rd Conference of the Presiding Officers (POs) of the
legislative bodies in India.
Chatterjee said there was a need to "urgently address
the issue of decline of personal integrity and probity in
public life, and to reinforce public faith in our democratic
institutions".
Describing the 'Zero Hour' as the the most "unruly
period" of the house proceedings, he said, "I believe the time
has come when we must seriously consider the desirability of
having the 'Zero Hour'".
Addressing presiding officers of the Lok Sabha, Rajya
Sabha and 28 state assemblies, Chatterjee, however, said, that
a Committee of POs in 1998 while examining the problem of time
management had recognised the importance of 'Zero Hour' but
recommended that not more than 30 minutes per day be allotted
for it which had to be regulated strictly."
Chatterjee said "The 'right to recall' is based on the
principle that elected members of representative bodies should
be accountable and answerable to their constituents at all
times, both inside and outside the Legislatures."
He said, "if a member is found to be insensitive,
incompetent, corrupt, indifferent to the problems of the
people, his duties or indulges in activities or behaves in a
manner unbecoming of a people's representative, I feel, his
constituents should be in a position to demand his recall
before the expiry of his term."
Hitting out at lawmakers for their unruly conduct in
the House, Chatterjee said that "the use of muscle and money
power in our electoral process and criminalisation of politics
has vitiated the political environment in the country and also
the smooth functioning of our Legislatures.
"Competitive and confrontational politics has seriously
compromised the ability of the House to conduct its business
in an orderly manner," he said.
Such disruptions and forced adjournments of House
proceedings not only led to wastage of precious time resulting
in loss of huge sums of taxpayers' money, important
legislations, and even the Budget, are passed without debate
due to disruptions.
The Lok Sabha Speaker said that forced adjournments
lead to suspension of Question Hour, thereby denying
opportunities to members who want to raise issues of public
importance on the floor of the House.
"All this amounts to abdicating the responsibility of
ensuring the accountability of the Executive to the
Legislature, which is the foundational basis of parliamentary
governance," he said adding such disruptions have only
accentuated the public disillusionment about the working of
our democratic institutions.
Chatterjee regretted that today's political atmosphere,
"characterised by intolerance, divisiveness, confrontation and
disrespect for dissent, is increasingly corroding our
socio-political system.
"Confrontational politics, based on political
polarisation around primordial loyalties of caste, religion,
region and language, has only accentuated existing societal
fault lines."
The Speaker said that in many parts of the country,
political power has become an "instrument to promote a
partisan and sectarian agenda, which is coming in the way of
achieving an inclusive democracy."
"Our democratic institutions are, in large measure,
reflective of the divisiveness in our socio-political life,
thereby weakening their capacity in addressing meaningfully
the problems the people are faced with," he added.
The Legislature, Chatterjee said, has come in for
greater share of public criticism because of the conduct of
members inside the Chambers of our Legislatures leading to
frequent disruptions and the resultant inability of the House
to transact business, wastage of time and public money.
Chatterjee said there is a growing sense of
disillusionment among large sections of our people about the
efficacy of our democratic governance structures and
institutions to address the legitimate concerns and problems
of different sections of society.
"When the democratic institutions continuously fail to
tackle the genuine concerns and aspirations of the people,
their faith in the utility of such institutions will be
undermined as the institutions themselves will have lost the
rationale behind their very existence which is to advance the
public good and the welfare of the teeming masses," he added.
PTI AKA
