With reference to Indian parliament and state legislatures.

The Parliament is the visible face of democracy in India. It is the epicentre of political life, public institutions of great verve, and a regime of Rights. In a first-of-its-kind study, this book delves into the lived experience of the Indian Parliament by focusing on three distinct phases—the 1950s, the 1970s, and the 1990s and beyond. The authors argue against the widely held notion of its ongoing decline, and demonstrate how it has repeatedly, and successfully, responded to India's changing needs in six decades of existence. This comprehensive and authoritative study examines the changing social composition and differing modes of representation that make up the Lok Sabha and critically explores its relation with the Rajya Sabha. Developments in the institutional complex of the Parliament, including the functioning of the Opposition and the Speaker are traced over time, along with the processes of legislation and accountability. Major debates in the House are scrutinized, and much of the analysis is based on empirical data gathered from surveys circulated among prominent politicians and public intellectuals. It also addresses the intricate issue of relations between the Judiciary and the Parliament. In its in-depth focus on the Lok Sabha, the volume highlights the way the Parliament has come to encompass India's proverbial diversity. It especially demonstrates the route this institution has taken to engage with fractious issues of diverging linguistic and regional demands.

The concept of democracy is not new to India. In fact, the substance of self-government lies embedded in its hoary past. Nearly forty-one years ago the country adopted a Constitution based on the principles of liberty, equality, fraternity and the rule of law. India opted for parliamentary form of government because it suited the genius of the people. It elected nine Parliaments on the basis of universal adult franchise and was thus able to live up to the expectations of a political awakened electorate. The image of Parliament and its credibility as a representative institution largely depends on the role and functions of its Members. The objective of the present study is, therefore, to provide an analysis of the work done by the Ninth Lok Sabha (18 December, 1989 to 13 March, 1991) in major fields during its short but eventful life span (one year two months and twenty-six days). This sought to be done by means of articles by distinguished parliamentarians and others, and statements and statistical tables supplemented by brief introductory notes. An effort has also been made to present a comparative picture of the background of Members of the earlier Lok Sabha and the work done by them. One of the noteworthy features of the Ninth Lok Sabha, which held 7 sessions consisting of 109 sittings lasting over 754 hours, was the passing of as many as 63 Bills including 7 Constitution Ammendment Bills. Two of the important Bills passed were the -Prasar Bharati- (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Bill and the -National Commission for Women’ Bill. These may well be considered as landmarks in the history of enactments made by the Parliament. The Government can take credit for answering a staggering number of 21,550 questions on diverse subjects put to it by the members of the Ninth Lok Sabha. It is hoped that the study will be helpful to researchers, parliamentarians and all those who are engaged in a study of the working of parliamentary institutions and processes and enable them to form a picture of the tasks achieved and acquaint them with the diverse activities which a modern Parliament is called upon to perform.