The three-day monsoon session of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, held in September, revealed a significant skew in how its precious time was allocated, with the tabling and discussion of government bills consuming more than half of the proceedings.
Imbalance in Time Allocation
According to an official report titled ‘Brief Report of Proceedings of the Seventh Session of the Fifteenth Gujarat Legislative Assembly’, the session held from September 8 to 10 saw a clear prioritization of legislative business over direct public accountability. The data indicates that 51.31% of the assembly's time was dedicated to government bills.
In stark contrast, the question hour, a critical democratic tool where Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) raise issues directly affecting their constituents, was allotted only 18.89% of the total session time. This has raised questions about the opportunity for legislators to hold the government accountable on matters of public concern.
Spotlight on MLA Attendance
The report, which was posted on the Gujarat assembly's website, also shed light on the attendance of the legislators. While the session was brief, absenteeism was noted, particularly on the final day.
On September 10, a total of 23 MLAs were absent. This number was lower on the preceding days, with four MLAs absent on September 8 and 14 absent on September 9. The report clarified that this count excluded key figures such as the chief minister, speaker, deputy speaker, ministers, chief whip, and deputy chief whip.
Other Proceedings and Public Engagement
Beyond bills and questions, the assembly's schedule included other important matters. Government and other proposals took up 17.31% of the time, while other miscellaneous matters accounted for 12.49%.
Despite the internal dynamics, the session attracted public interest. The report highlighted that a total of 5,893 visitors witnessed the assembly proceedings during the three days. A majority of these visitors were reported to be from various educational institutions, observing the democratic process in action.
The findings from the brief monsoon session present a clear picture of the legislative priorities and engagement levels within the Gujarat assembly, highlighting the ongoing tension between law-making and governmental accountability.
