Democracy deficit: How India's hasty lawmaking is eroding hard-won rights |
On 17 December 2025, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra requested the Lok Sabha to refer the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee For Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill 2025 to the Standing Committee for a thorough review. Opposition MPs said the bill was made available only at 5 p.m. and amendments sought by 5.45 p.m. the same day, leaving little time to read and understand the legislation.
The request was denied, and the bill passed by voice vote on 18 December. MGNREGA, one of our most important laws, has been finished off and we do not really know why.
The trend of passing bills hastily without proper scrutiny has accelerated through the Modi era. In the 14th Lok Sabha (2004–09), 60% of bills were sent to committees; in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009–14), it was 71%. However, this dropped sharply to 25% in Modi’s first tenure as PM, further dipping to 16% in the second stint. The long-standing practice of review by department-related........