Parliamentary Institutions and Procedures (An Old and Rare Book)

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This book brings together for the benefit of a wider readership the speeches and writings of Shri M. N. Kaul, the distinguished first Secretary of Lok Sabha and more appropriately described as the ‘Father of the Lok Sabha’, whose association with the development of parliamentary institutions, practices and procedures in India has been unique. The collection reflects the author’s sweep of knowledge of the procedures in various Parliaments, his passion for establishing sound parliamentary procedures, traditions and conventions, and his total commitment and ceaseless endeavour in the cause of representative institutions in the country.

Some significant provisions in the Constitution relating to Parliament like those regarding the President’s Address to Parliament. Privileges of Parliament, no taxation without the authority of law, Appropriation Bills, Contingency Fund, were in fact based on his recommendations.

Shri Kau’s vision was not limited to the Parliament at the Centre. He conceived of the Parliament and the different State Legislatures in the country as constituting on "Grand Parliament of India". By his constant guidance he helped in bringing about uniformity in the procedures and practices in the Legislatures in India.

The present volume covers almost every procedural and organisational aspect of importance to Legislatures. The author’s long years experience and close association with great personalities have enabled him to portray with a unique historical perspective the developments in the parliamentary field in our day.

It is hoped that anyone who has anything to do with the parliamentary institutions and procedures will find the book stimulating and inspiring.

Shri Kaul is a well-known figure not only in India but in International parliamentary circles as well. He was Secretary to the Parliamentary Delegations to IPU Conferences held at Stockholm (1949), Dublin (1950), Tokyo (1960), and Brussels (1961) and the Common-wealth Parliamentary Conferences held at London (1948), Ottawa (1952) and Lagos (1962) and was a member of the Indian Parliamentary Delegations to China (1956), East European countries (1959), USSR and Mongolia (1962) and USA (1963). These visits abroad he availed of to make a first hand study of procedures in foreign Parliaments. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Association o Secretaries-General of Parliaments from 1950 to 1956. As Secretary of the Indian Parliamentary Group (affiliated to Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association), he was responsible for organising the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference at New Delhi in 1957, which won high praise from one and all.

Shri Kaul may be appropriately described as the ‘Father of the Lok Sabha Secretariat’. Ever since he joined the Legislative Assembly Department, in 1937, he fought for the independence of the Legislature Secretariat and ultimately got it enshrined in the Constitution. He issued manuals, books and a vast amount of literature on parliamentary practices and procedure and on various aspects of parliamentary administration.

After a memorable tenure of twenty-seven years at the Table, Shri Kaul retired from the service of the House on 1st September, 1964.

Shri Kaul is the author of number of books publications, including his Conversations on Parliamentary Practice and Procedure of Parliament.

This book brings together for the benefit of a wider readership the speeches and writings of Shri M.N. Kaul, the distinguished first Secretary of Lok Sabha, whose association with the development of parliamentary institutions, practices and procedures in India has been unique. The collection reflects the author’s sweep of knowledge of the procedures in various Parliaments, his passion for establishing sound parliamentary procedures, traditions and conventions, and his total commitment and ceaseless endeavour in the cause of representative institutions in the country.

After a memorable tenure of twenty-seven years at the Table, Shri Kaul retired from the service of the House on 1st September, 1964. It was the country’s good fortune that during the period of transition and in the initial difficult years following freedom, we had an officer of Shri Kaul’s calibre, experience and vision at the Table. Some significant provisions in the Constitution relating to Parliament like those regarding the President’s Address to Parliament, Privileges of Parliament, no taxation without the authority of law, Appropriation Bills, Contingency Fund. were in fact based on his recommendations.

In the Parliament of independent India, two tasks came to be of primary importance—the building up of an efficient Secretariat and the evolving of sound procedures. These tasks Shri Kaul accomplished with great vision and dedication. To him we owe innovations in parliamentary procedure, like the institution of the Business Advisory Committee, Calling Attention Notices, Short-Duration Discussions and the Com- "mittee on Government Assurances, He reorganised and expanded the Lok Sabha Secretariat to give prompt and efficient service to the Members, and devoted great care and labour in the formative years of the Financial Committees in developing their examination techniques, overcoming the initial prejudice of Government Departments to furnish detailed information, and helping to lay down a tradition of fine draftsman-ship.

Shri Kaul’s vision was not limited to the Parliament at the Centre. He conceived of the Parliament and the different State Legislatures in the country as constituting one ‘Grand Parliament of India’. He zealously worked to build up a common fund of experience for all the Legislatures in the country to draw upon. He has been of immense help to, and took a leading part at, the Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies in India. Shri Kaul was the inspiration also behind the institution of Conference of Secretaries of Legislative Bodies in India. By his own example of fervent devotion, he instilled in his counterparts in the States a sense of belonging to the great parliamentary institution and by his constant guidance helped in bringing about uniformity in the procedures and practices in the Legislatures in India.

Shri Kaul is a well-known figure not only in India but in international parliamentary circles as well. He was Secretary to the Parliamentary Delegations to IPU Conferences held at Stockholm (1949), Dublin (1950), Tokyo (1960) and Brussels (1961) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conferences held at London (1948), Ottawa (1952) and Lagos (1962) ; and was a member of the Indian Parliamentary Delegations to China (1956), East European countries (1959), USSR and Mongolia (1962) and USA (1963). These visits abroad he availed of to make a first-hand study of the procedures in foreign Parliaments. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Secretaries-General of Parliaments from 1950 to 1956 and on behalf of this body undertook an enquiry into and submitted a very valuable report on the extent of independence of Legislature Secretariats from the Executive in the various countries of the world. As Secretary of the Indian Parliamentary Group (affiliated to the Inter- Parliamentary Union and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association), he was responsible for organising the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference at New Delhi in 1957, which won high praise from one and all, The esteem in which Shri Kaul has been held in Parliament is borne out by the eloquent tributes that were paid in the House when he retired. Announcing his retirement in Lok Sabha, when the House assembled for the Autumn Session on September 7, 1964, Speaker Sardar Hukam Singh said:

"His tenure of office was marked by many transitions and changes, constitutional and procedural. In all these matters, he tendered sound advice to the Speaker and helped in moulding the constitutional provisions relating to Parliament and the Rules of Procedure on modern lines. He helped and guided the Committee of this House, particularly, during the initial stages.

Not only did he advise the Speaker and the Committees, but his advice was equally available to every Member of the House, to whichever Group he belonged.

His has been a distinguished record of devoted service and unflinching loyalty. His vast experience and deep knowledge were of immense help....His mature advice always so readily available was always sound and could be depended upon".

Prime Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, who ‘wholeheartedly’ associated himself with the tributes paid by the Speaker, described Shri Kaul as ‘a familiar and friendly figure’ and who "helped in building up high traditions and healthy conventions in parliamentary work". In appreciation of his long and distinguished record of service, the Speaker informed the House that he had appointed Shri Kaul as an Honorary Officer of the House.

Shri Kaul may be appropriately described as the ‘Father of the Lok Sabha Secretariat’. Ever since he joined the Legislative Assembly Department in 1937, he fought for the independence of the Legislature Secretariat and ultimately got it enshrined in the Constitution. He issued manuals, books and a vast amount of literature on parliamentary practices and procedure and on various aspects of parliamentary administration. Under his direction, departmental decisions, precedent registers and brochures on various subjects were compiled which helped in dissemination of knowledge in this largely untrodden field. If we have today a trained corps of officers in every branch of parliamentary work and the Lok Sabha Secretariat has developed into an efficient and reliable organisation in the service of Parliament, we owe it to Shri Kaul’s farsighted administrative wisdom.

It was only natural that Shri Kaul, who had made such singular contribution in the parliamentary field, came to be nominated by the President as a member of Rajya Sabha in April, 1966. Re-nominated in April, 1970, Shri Kaul retired from Rajya Sabha in April, 1972. During his term in Rajya Sabha, Shri Kaul made many outstanding contributions in debates on constitutional and parliamentary matters.*

Shri Kaul is the author of a number of books and publications,** including his Conversations on Parliamentary Practice and Procedure and the. authoritative treatise Practice and Procedure of Parliament, of which | have the privilege to be co-author.

The present volume covers almost every procedural and organisational aspect of importance to Legislatures. The author’s long years of experience and close association with great personalities have enabled him to portray with a unique historical perspective the developments in the parliamentary. field in our day.

I am sure anyone who has anything to do with the parliamentary institutions and procedures will find the book stimulating and inspiring.

**Contents and Sample Pages**