Constricted Legislative Deliberations: A Review of Karnataka Legislative Assembly

By : Vijaykumar N. Torgal

Page No: 45-70

Abstract
The elections and deliberations are foundations of democracy. The deliberative function serves a reciprocal enlightenment among participants. It enables mutual respect for the members of the Legislative Assembly. It is an instrument of legislative due process. The deliberation serves public interest by facilitating reflective function. The deliberative method of decision -making is a composed and rational way of arriving decisions. The Constitution of India under various provisions facilitates deliberation. The parliamentary procedure and practices do provide deliberative instruments like question -hour, adjournment motion, call attention notice and motion of no -confidence. The government business like budget and bills are deliberated which also ensures government accountability towards legislature. The legislative assembly deliberations are discussed in quantitative and qualitative framework. The Paper employing quantitative framework analyses time utilized under various instruments of deliberation in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The proceedings of Karnataka Legislature provide an insight in to the quantitative aspect of deliberative process. Over the years the sittings of Legislative Assembly are reduced drastically thereby the process of deliberative process is constricted. On an average the sittings of legislature are only for 34 days in a year as against its own mandate of 60 days a year. The discussions on state budget and bills are reduced to mere formality. The legislators are more interested in eliciting government response over its omission and commission. It is observed that bills pertaining to legislator salaries and perks are passed without discussions. The quantitative analysis of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly deliberations exhibit deliberative deficit.

Author :
Vijaykumar N. Torgal : Karnataka Administrative Service Officer (Retd.)