Our Parliament: An Introduction to the Parliament of India

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This simple and comprehensive book on Parliament presents in easy, non-technical language basic facts and authentic upto-date information about our Parliament. It seeks to briefly narrate the story of how our Parliament came to its present form, what it is, what it does, why it is needed, how it is constituted and how it functions. In fact, it covers the entire gamut of facts pertaining to the Indian Parliament. The concluding chapter is a resume of the working of Parliament during the last half-a-century and more.

Subhash C. Kashyap was intimately associated with Parliament for over 37 years. He was Secretary-General of Lok Sabha during 1984-1990. Earlier, he headed the C.I.D.P. at the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Geneva and was Director of the Institute of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies and the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training.

Currently, he is Honorary Research Professor at the Centre for Policy Research, Advocate Supreme Court and consultant in constitutional law, parliamentary affairs and political management. He was a Member of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution and Chairman of its Drafting Committee.

Dr. Kashyap has published over 500 research papers and articles, over 50 original works and another 50 edited volumes. He lectures widely in India and abroad, and writes regularly for national dailies and Indian and foreign journals.

The National Book Trust very wisely decided to bring out an introductory work on the Parliament of India for the general public. The first edition of this book was published in English in 1989. The book was well received and within the same year a reprint became necessary. A Hindi edition came out in 1990 followed by editions in several other Indian languages. The second edition of the English version appeared in 1992 and was quickly followed by a reprint in 1993. The third revised edition came in 1995 and underwent reprints in 1999, 2000 and 2001. In the present fourth edition, substantial fresh material has been added including a new chapter on the working of Parliament during the last half-a-century and more. The entire text has been carefully revised and updated. It is hoped that this edition will be widely welcomed as more useful.

There was no simple and short, and yet comprehensive work on Parliament. This book attempts to fill the void and presents in a handy form and in an easy, non-technical language some basic facts, and authentic and up-to-date information about our Parliament. The emphasis through out has been on objectivity and readability; unnecessary details and controversial issues have been avoided to the extent possible. The book seeks to briefly narrate the story of how our Parliament came to its present from, what it is, what it does, why it is needed, how it is constituted and how it functions. In fact, it could very well be titled 'Know Your Parliament' or 'The What, the Why and the How of Parliament.

It is essential that everyone knows the system under which he lives and the institutions that govern his life and safeguard his liberties. As somebody said "no more vital truth was ever uttered than that freedom and free institutions cannot long be maintained by any people who do not understand the nature of their own government." Under the political system adopted by us, Parliament is the supreme institution of the people and as the symbol of their freedom and sovereignty they must know it and know it well. The effort here is to place the study of Parliament in its proper historical perspective by describing in the very first chapter the origin and growth of representative legislative institutions right from the Vedic age. Also, it is often missed that Parliament in modern days and, especially so in India, is much more than a legislative body. It is verily a multifunctional institution. Its various functions include the political and financial control over the government, representation and grievance ventilation, conflict resolution and national integration, besides many others. These multifarious activities of the Parliament are sought to be given adequate coverage in the study.

An aspect of the Parliament which most of the books on the subject tend to pass over swiftly with only a cursory look is the actual working of the Houses-the sittings, the role of the Presiding Officers, the Question Hour and the various other procedural devices, like the different types of motions, the budgetary and legislative processes, etc. Need- less to say, a grasp of the actual working of the Houses is a must for a meaningful evaluation of our political system. As such, an effort has been made to explain these vital aspects at some length.