Suchergebnisse

This article compares the development and working of legislatures in South Asia. It examines a number of issues related to the working of parliaments such as their role in the legislative process, their capacity to make the governments behave and the way they establish and maintain links with the citizen. The evidence shows that the different parliaments in the region share several characteristics; they also differ from each other in many respects. Most of them work in a more competitive political environment and are also more visible now than before. None of them, however, has more than modest policy-making power. But all of them have sought to carve out a greater role for themselves in recent years by making several procedural innovations, in particular, by strengthening the committee system. They also remain resilient in providing an important outlet to the public to express their opinion and grievance. (Asian J Polit Sci/DÜI)