INDIAN PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY

The book gives an academic, political and professional glimpse of the Indian parliamentary democracy in function, its travails and achievement. This is done along with the analysis of constitutional provisions, judicial interpretations and the developed conventions, precedents and practices. The book is both for general reading and for use by intelligentsia. It shall be attractive and useful to the active politicians, Members of the Houses of Parliament or State Legislatures, political parties, lawyers, journalists and scholars of Law, Constitutional History or Political Science.The book has examined in detail the topical aspects of parliamentary democracy in India, detailing the precedents, controversies which had arisen from time to time and the working solutions found or alternately amendments made to the Constitution.Broadly the book discusses What Parliamentary Democracy means in India Cabinet System for Democracy in India Broad Features of Indian Political Parties in Parliament Problems and Solutions of Party Splits and Defections Hung Parliament and Formation of Government Presidents Rule and Problems in States in Emergency The Conduct of Parliamentary Proceedings Free and Fair Elections; the Election Commission of IndiaThe roles of the President of India, Prime Minister and of the Speaker or the Chairman of the House are significant for success of democracy. The impartial, free and fair conduct of elections are equally indispensable. An attempt has been made in the Book to include maximum possible leading political events of the time as precedents which have gradually synthesised and developed the parliamentary democracy of British model into a totally indigenous system.

Book Contents

Volume 1 1. WHAT PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY MEANS IN INDIA 1. The Democratic Traditions in Indian Constitution 2. The Genesis of Democratic System for India 3. Party System for Democracy 4. The People and Elections 2. CABINET SYSTEM FOR DEMOCRACY IN INDIA 1. The Council of Ministers 2. The Principle of Ministerial Responsibility 3. The Collective Responsibility of Council of Ministers 4. The Incidences of Collective Responsibility 3. LAW AND INDIAN POLITICAL PARTIES IN PARLIAMENT 1. A Pre-view of Indian Political Parties 2. Origins and Evolution of Indian Political Parties 3. Political Parties by Fragmentation of Congress 4. The Leftist Political Parties 5. The Rightist Political Parties 6. Quest for Parliamentary Opposition 7. The Regional Political Parties 4. Law for PARTY SPLITS AND DEFECTIONS 1. The Party Split Assessment 2. The Rationale of Defection 3. The Rights of Dissent, Defections and Splits 4. The Process of Prohibition of Defections and Splits 4A. The Constitution (Fifty-Second Amendment) Act, 1985 4B. Judicial Interpretations of Tenth Schedule 5. An Assessment of Tenth Schedule 5. FORMATION OF GOVERNMENT and HUNG PARLIAMENT 1. The Constitutional Task 2. The Government Formation Normal Procedures 3. The Caretaker Government 4. The Hung Parliament Volume 2 6. PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM IN STATES During EMERGENCY 1. Dismissal of State Ministry Article 2. The Floor Test 3. Failure of Constitutional Machinery 4. Safeguards against Misuse of Article 356 7. THE CONDUCT OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS 1. The Presidents Role 2. The Speaker 3. Parliamentary Committees 4. Making of Law Legislative Procedures 5. Parliamentary Dignity and Decorum 8. The Election Process THE ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA 1. Status and Organization of the Election Commission 2. Functions of Election Commission 3. Discretions for Fair Politics 4. Intra-Party Democracy 5. Funding of Political Parties 6. Conclusion APPENDICES 1. Tables (i) Presidents of India (ii) Prime Ministers of India (iii) Lok Sabha Elections (iv) Speaker(s) of Lok Sabha (v) Chief Election Commissioners of India 2. Extracts from (i) The Constitution of India (ii) Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (iii) The Representation of People Act, 1950 (iv) Representation of People Act, 1951 (v) Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 (vi) The Indian Penal Code Volume 2 6. PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM IN STATES During EMERGENCY 1. Dismissal of State Ministry - Article 356 2. The Floor Test 3. Failure of Constitutional Machinery 4. Safeguards against Misuse of Article 356 7. THE CONDUCT OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS 1. The Presidents Role 2. The Speaker 3. Parliamentary Committees 4. Making of Law Legislative Procedures 5. Parliamentary Dignity and Decorum 8. The Election Process THE ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA 1. Status and Organization of the Election Commission 2. Functions of Election Commission 3. Discretions for Fair Politics 4. Intra-Party Democracy 5. Funding of Political Parties 6. Conclusion APPENDICES 1. Tables (i) Presidents of India (ii) Prime Ministers of India (iii) Lok Sabha Elections (iv) Speaker(s) of Lok Sabha (v) Chief Election Commissioners of India 2. Extracts from (i) The Constitution of India (ii) Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (iii) The Representation of People Act, 1950 (iv) Representation of People Act, 1951 (v) Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 (vi) The Indian Penal Code