Disruptions in the legislature: an insider’s view from legislators in India

Abstract

ABSTRACT Earlier studies have advanced a number of arguments to explain why legislators disrupt legislative business. This study carries out a confirmatory analysis of the arguments by analyzing 93 speeches delivered by Indian legislators on the subject of disruption. Using Applied Thematic Analysis we identified themes that are salient in the legislator speeches. We find highest salience given to the role of the Speaker, with members emphasizing on the need for the Speaker to show impartiality in the performance of duties. Another highly salient theme was the relationship between legislative parties and legislators, which featured concerns over rising dominance of legislative party leaders. Other themes such as adequacy and enforcement of legislative rules, the competitive interplay between ruling and opposition parties, influence of media and paucity of legislative opportunities received moderate attention. Low salience was given to arguments that explain disruption to be a consequence of democratization of the legislature or marginalization of certain social groups. These insights contribute to the extant literature by highlighting perspectives on disruption from the standpoint of “insiders” of the legislature.