Nagaland State among states with lowest assembly meeting duration and bill passings
The Annual Review of State Laws 2022 published by think-tank PRS Legislative Research reflects a concerning picture over the declining efficiency and quality of state legislatures in India. The report highlights a concerning trend wherein only seven States had assembly sitting for more than 30 days in 2022. Particularly worrisome are the states of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura, which convened for less than 10 days each.
The study revealed that the Karnataka assembly emerged as the most active, meeting for the highest number of days, totaling 45. It was closely followed by West Bengal with 42 days and Kerala with 41 days of assembly meetings throughout the year.
The Annual Review of State Laws draws attention to the persistent decline in the number of sittings of state legislatures since 2016, suggesting an increasing lack of meaningful deliberation on crucial matters. Moreover, the report highlights a notable lack of well-functioning Committees in most states, with bills being rarely scrutinized before their passage.
The review also highlights the absence of in-depth discussions on expenditure, despite a consistent increase in state expenditure each year. The lack of comprehensive debate and scrutiny before legislative approval raises concerns regarding the transparency and accountability of the expenditure.
The report reveals that the Nagaland assembly fell significantly short in terms of legislative activity. With an average sitting duration of a mere 3 hours, it emerged as the assembly that passed the fewest bills, totaling just three throughout the year.
Notably, the report also pointed out that state legislatures often pass most bills quickly without much debate and deliberation and raises questions about the quality of such laws, which often lack comprehensive evaluation and analysis.
In 2022 alone, a staggering 56% of bills, amounting to 322 bills, were passed on the day of their introduction or the very next day. The situation in Nagaland is particularly concerning, with over 60% of bills passed within a day, indicating a lack of careful examination and discussion.