Opinion For Shivraj Patil, Parliament was not a stage, but an embodiment of trust

Before entering national politics, Patil became the first person who, after serving both as Deputy Speaker and later as Speaker of a State Legislative Assembly, went on to become Speaker of the Lok Sabha. This experience grounded him deeply in legislative procedure and shaped the calm authority he later brought to the national stage.

His shift to national politics in 1980 launched an impressive parliamentary innings. From Latur, he won six successive Lok Sabha terms. In 1989, when the Janata Dal formed the government, the Indian National Congress became the principal opposition. Members across political lines chose Patil as the Deputy Speaker of the ninth Lok Sabha. The motion proposing his election to the office of Speaker, Lok Sabha, was moved by Arjun Singh of the Indian National Congress and seconded by P G Narayanan of the AIADMK. When the House approved his unopposed election, Patil set out his philosophy of the Chair in terms that revealed both institutional clarity and democratic instinct. The House, he said, “reflects in the hearts of the people and the democracy. What happens here should reach the people and all parts of the country… The people in all parts of the country would be kept in touch with the functioning of the House through conventional and new, modern methods.”

Several of his decisions and initiatives from this period continue to shape parliamentary practice. The discussion and rejection of the first-ever motion to impeach a sitting Supreme Court judge, Justice V Ramaswami, required careful stewardship, procedural clarity and emotional discipline, qualities Patil displayed throughout the episode. Equally important was his ruling under the Tenth Schedule in 1993, when he addressed disqualification petitions against 20 MPs. His reasoning reflected both constitutional seriousness and political courage. He recognised that uncontrolled defection could hollow out democratic accountability, and he urged Parliament to strengthen the anti-defection law.

Speaking from a personal perspective as a legislative officer, I (Ravindra Garimella) had the privilege of serving directly under Patil’s tutelage. In the Janata Dal case under the anti-defection law, Patil held regular personal hearings in Room No. 62 of Parliament House. It was my privilege to have been singled out by him to initiate the paperwork, keeping in view my law background. I would be granted an audience during his daily briefings, and at the conclusion of the hearings, he would ask me to prepare a paper book, as is done in courts of law. When we saw the paper books, he personally commended me, saying, “This is exactly what we wanted”. That shaped my career as a parliamentary bureaucrat.

Patil also shepherded one of the most consequential reforms to parliamentary functioning: The creation of the Departmentally Related Standing Committee system. The idea had circulated for years, and during the eighth Lok Sabha, the then Speaker Balram Jakhar had already set up three Subject Committees. Yet the reform remained incomplete. It was Patil who revived the proposal, consulted party leaders and former Speakers, worked out the structure, and pushed it through to conclusion. On March 31, 1993, under his leadership, 17 Standing Committees were finally inaugurated. This shift did more than tidying up parliamentary procedure; it strengthened the ability of Parliament to scrutinise the executive, examine legislation in depth and hold ministries to account.

His efforts to modernise the institution were equally notable. Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) gives MPs a formal channel to recommend and finance small development works in their constituencies.

He laid the foundation of the new parliament library in 1994 and equipped members of the tenth Lok Sabha with notebook computers, giving them quicker access to legislative material and modern communication tools.

While the President’s Address had been telecast earlier, he was the first to present a full plan for a regular telecast of proceedings. From August 25, 1994, Lok Sabha debates began to be shown live within a 15-kilometre radius of Parliament House, and the Question Hour of both Houses was broadcast nationwide on alternate weeks. All India Radio had already begun airing the Question Hour in 1992. As coverage expanded, the audio-visual unit responsible for preserving parliamentary recordings grew steadily during his tenure.

On his initiative, a Joint Parliamentary Committee reviewed members’ facilities and remuneration, leading to improved allowances and amenities for travel, communication, and other essentials. During his tenure, the Committee on Installation of Statues and Portraits approved new statues and key portraits of national leaders, with commemorative functions in the Central Hall continuing on their birth and death anniversaries.
Patil also initiated Research Fellowships to encourage original studies on parliamentary subjects. Under this scheme, the Lok Sabha Secretariat awards two fellowships each year for legislative research.

An interesting moment resurfaced recently as Parliament commemorated the 150th anniversary of “Vande Mataram”. In 1994, during Patil’s speakership, the General Purposes Committee considered how national symbols might figure in adjournment ceremonies. The Lok Sabha adopted the practice of playing “Vande Mataram” before the House adjourned sine die.

Patil’s style was measured, sometimes understated, but always anchored in the belief that Parliament is not a stage but an embodiment of trust. At a time when parliamentary debate is increasingly shaped by spectacle, Patil’s career offers a quiet provocation. Institutions endure not because they are old, but because individuals act with the patience to strengthen them.

Garimella is a former Joint Secretary (Legislation), Lok Sabha Secretariat, and Nagpal is an Independent Researcher and a former LAMP fellow