Analyzing Parliamentary Questions in India: 1999-2019

The Indian Parliament is an important body that makes laws and represents the public. It has two houses, the Lok Sabha (Lower House) and the Rajya Sabha (Upper House). The Lok Sabha is made up of members who are elected by the people, while the Rajya Sabha has members who are elected by state assemblies.

One of the key parts of Parliament’s work is the Question Hour. During this time, Members of Parliament (MPs) can ask questions to government ministers about their work. This is a way to hold the government accountable and ensure they are doing their jobs properly. Many other countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK have similar practices.

#The TCPD-IPD Dataset

The TCPD-IPD dataset is a large collection of questions and answers discussed in the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour from 1999 to 2019. It includes around 298,000 pairs of questions and answers. Analyzing this huge amount of data by hand can be very challenging, so modern tools can help make sense of it.

In this analysis, we have looked at the dataset to find patterns and trends over the years. We have focused on how Topics have changed over time. This helps us see how political and social issues have influenced what is discussed in Parliament.

#Analysis of the Dataset

Using the dataset, we can look at which topics were most commonly asked about during the Question Hour. We can also see how the number of questions varied across different terms of the Lok Sabha.

From 1999 to 2019, the number of questions asked each term was as follows:

• 13th Lok Sabha (1999-2004): 73,531 questions
• 14th Lok Sabha (2004-09): 66,371 questions
• 15th Lok Sabha (2009-14): 79,401 questions
• 16th Lok Sabha (2014-19): 78,989 questions

Overall, during this time, Lok Sabha met for more than 50 sittings each year, except for a couple of years when they met less frequently. This shorter meeting time corresponded with fewer questions being asked.

#Participation of Parliament Members

The data shows interesting trends about the participation of different groups in Parliament. In the 16th Lok Sabha, members from the ruling alliance asked more questions than members from the opposition. Normally, we expect opposition members to ask more questions to challenge the government. So, this was an unusual trend to observe.

Focusing on who asked the questions reveals a gender bias. Over the four terms examined, 91.6% of the questions were asked by men, while only 8.4% were asked by women. This imbalance shows that women were significantly underrepresented in asking questions.

Additionally, when looking at questions related to caste, a significant majority of questions (80.6%) came from MPs belonging to the general category, while a smaller share came from reserved categories that have quotas in Parliament.

#Important Topics Discussed

By using topic modeling, which helps in identifying major subjects discussed during the Question Hour, we can outline several key themes.

For example, in the finance sector, topics like agricultural loans, rural development, and pension schemes were discussed frequently. During certain years, there was increased discussion about issues like debt waivers for farmers and banking practices.

In the railways sector, the early 2000s saw a lot of attention on new government projects, but over time, the focus shifted to topics like infrastructure development and passenger amenities. Safety in rail transport also became a significant concern in later years.

In health discussions, topics around women and child care increased notably after the launch of health initiatives in 2005. However, the attention to certain issues has varied over time, reflecting changes in government policy and public interest.

#Trends Over Time

The analysis of the data reveals how discussions in Parliament reflect the changing political landscape. For example, in finance, topics fluctuate based on economic conditions. When the economy performs poorly, questions about economic growth increase. Similarly, in the railways, discussions about passenger safety surged during specific incidents, indicating how external factors can lead to heightened parliamentary scrutiny.

The analysis shows that many questions focus on urgent issues affecting people's lives, showcasing the role of Parliament in managing public concern and accountability.

#Future Directions

Our future work will aim to improve how we analyze such Datasets. We want to automatically find when significant changes in topics occur and connect them to key events. This can help in summarizing discussions and understanding the impact of political decisions.

The insights gained from examining these discussions can be beneficial for both lawmakers and citizens. It can lead to better parliamentary questions and more informed policymaking.

By continuing to analyze data from the Parliament, we can gain a clearer picture of how government actions align with the needs and concerns of the public. This effort aims to foster transparency and accountability in governance.