History of Indian Parliament, Vols. I and II
Contents: Preface. Acknowledgments. 1. Democratic traditions and representative institutions in ancient India. 2. Origin and growth of modern parliamentary institutions (1600-1909). 3. Minto-Morley and Montagu-Chelmsford reforms (1909-1947). 4. Constituent Assembly and framing the constitution. 5. The Constituent Assembly (Legislative) Free India\'s First Legislature (1947-1949). 6. The provisional Parliament (1950-1952). 7. The first Lok Sabha (1952-1957). 8. The Second Lok Sabha (1957-1962). 9. The Third Lok Sabha (1962-1967). 10. The Fourth Lok Sabha (1967-1970). 11. The Fifth Lok Sabha (1971-1977). 12. The Sixth Lok Sabha (1977-1979). 13. The Seventh Lok Sabha (1980-1984). 14. The Eighth Lok Sabha (1985-1989). 15. The Ninth Lok Sabha (1989-1991). 16. The Tenth Lok Sabha (1991-1996). 17. The Eleventh Lok Sabha (1996-1997). 18. The Twelfth Lok Sabha (1998-1999). 19. Thirteenth Lok Sabha (1999-2004). 20. Fourteenth Lok Sabha 2004-. 21. Recap and Summing Up : Sixty years of parliament: its changing face and functions (from 1947 to 2007). 22. The road ahead : Need for parliamentary reforms : renewing parliamentary institutions and procedures. Index.
"Parliament\'s pivotal position in India\'s democratic polity is not only a matter of fundamental principle in constitutional theory but it is also a well-established fact in our political life. As a microcosm of the nation, parliament has consistently reflected the feelings, hopes, aspirations and even weaknesses and frustrations of the people of India. It is, above all, their supreme representative institution, notwithstanding all its shortcomings and failures.
During the nearly six decades of the operation of the constitution, the resilience and relevance of the institution of Parliament has been amply proved. Notwithstanding temporary aberrations, decline in the standards of debate and conduct of members, in times of crises like foreign aggressions, internal disturbances, etc. parliament has stood its own and retained its identity and legitimacy.
This is an honest attempt to objectively trace and authoritatively narrate the interesting story of the origin and growth of representative parliamentary institutions in India and present a comprehensive history of the parliament of India covering the various stages of its growth in all their ramifications. Such a gigantic undertaking called for sustained and extensive research and digging out, collection and collation of a lot of data and information.
In a parliamentary polity, history of the nation is very largely shaped in the houses of its parliament and to that extent, the history of parliament is bound to encompass much of the history of the nation. In as much as this is the only work on the history of our parliament, it is hoped that it would fill a void and would be widely welcomed."
