- The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the corresponding Rajya Sabha session were notable for a renewed spirit of parliamentary debate, despite excessive combativeness from both the government and the Opposition.
- Parliamentary Procedures and Challenges:
Constitutional Provisions
- Article 84 stipulates the qualifications for membership of Parliament. It requires that a person must make and subscribe to an oath or affirmation before taking his seat in the Parliament.
- The third Schedule provides the forms of oaths or affirmations for various constitutional offices, including Members of Parliament.
- MPs must swear to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India, uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, and faithfully discharge their duties.
- The rise of a strong Opposition and the return of coalition politics, due to the leading party lacking an absolute majority, may restore Parliament’s role.
- Increased Opposition numbers could ensure more Bills are scrutinized by parliamentary standing committees, acting as a check on the government.
- The previous Lok Sabha saw the suspension of 146 Opposition MPs and functioned without a Deputy Speaker, a post usually reserved for the Opposition.
- Oath-Taking Rules:
- Lok Sabha Speaker formed a committee to establish rules for the “oath-taking and affirmation” of MPs, ensuring any deviations can be punished, as announced by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister.
- This decision follows several instances of MPs raising slogans during their oath-taking.
- Oath or affirmation is a constitutional process with no room for politicization and must follow the prescribed format.
- MPs have traditionally adhered to the standard oath or affirmation format as prescribed in the Third Schedule of the Constitution.
- The oath can be taken in any of the languages specified in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, and MPs typically choose a language they are most comfortable with.
Dig Deeper: Read about the various parliamentary committees headed by the Speaker.
