Page 30 - Parliament of India

THE PARLIAMENT OF INDIA
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DEMOCRATIC HERITAGE
A full-fledged parliamentary system of government with a modern institutional
framework was established in the country with the coming into force of the
Republication Constitution in 1950. Democratic tradition and institutions were,
however, not new to India. Their history dates back to the Vedic period
(circa 3000—1000 BC) when popular assemblies and elective monarchy were in
vo<;ue in the country. And for nearly sixteen centuries (circa 1000 BC to 600
AD) republican form of government flourished in various parts of the country.
'Sabhas' and 'Samitis': India of the Vedic times had its popular assemblies
known as the Samiti (literally meaning "meeting together") and the Sablm. The
Samiti was the general assembly of the people. Its most important function was
to express the voice of the people in the choice of the king. The Sabha. a smaller
and select body of Elders, functioned as the 'Parliament' for disposal of public
business by debate and discussion.
Village Republics : Besides the Samiti and the Sabha, democracy at the
grass-roots thrived in ancient India in the Gram Sabhas or village assemblies. The
Mahabharata and the Manusmriti contain numerous references to the existence
of Gram Sanghas and a fairly detailed description of the village republics can be
found in Kautilya's Arthashasira. Indeed, surviving the wreck of many dynasties
and the downfall of empires, the little village republics continued to flourish in
the country during the Hindu and Muslim periods till the advent of the East India
Company's rule.

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DEVELOPMENT OF PARLIAMENTARY INSTITUTIONS IN
MODERN TIMES
The year 1857 constitutes a distinct landmark in the history of modern India.
After the War of Independence that year the British rulers felt the necessity of
establishing closer contacts with public opinion in the country. The Indian
Councils Act, 1861 marked the first small step in the direction. The Act provided
for nomination in the Governor-General's Council of a few non-officials while it
functioned as a Legislative Council for the transaction of legislative business. For
thirty years thereafter, the Legislative Council was merely a committee for making
laws.
The Indian Councils Act, 1892 was an improvement over the 1861 Act, in
that it provided for the nomination of non-official members on the recommenda­
tions of certain bodies and the members were given the right to ask questions and
to discuss the Budget, though not of voting upon it,

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