According to an analysis by PRS Legislative Research, during the five-year term of the 17th Lok Sabha that ended in 2024, only 9.08 hours were spent on Private Members’ Bills, while the Rajya Sabha spent 27.01 hours on them during the period.
- Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions:
- Private Members’ Bills are legislative proposals introduced by MPs who are not ministers, while resolutions are declarations on which the House votes.
- These instruments allow MPs to voice opinions independently of party lines and serve as platforms for political messaging.
- Historical Context:
- Noteworthy instances like H.V. Kamath’s 1966 Bill demonstrate how these tools can influence political discourse.
- Only 14 Private Members’ Bills have ever been enacted into law, with the last one passed in 1970.
- Allocation of Time:
- In the Lok Sabha, two-and-a-half hours on Fridays are reserved for Private Members’ business.
- In the Rajya Sabha, the same duration is allotted every alternate Friday.
- Challenges:
- The narrowing time window for Private Members’ business limits the opportunity for meaningful discussion.
- It often takes years for such legislation to come up for debate, diminishing their practical impact.
