Parliament’s library service gains access

• Parliament is a crucial seat of politics, where policy is made and held accountable.
  • Legislating on complex issues like economic reforms, climate change, national security, and emerging technologies is challenging.
  • Access to world-class research and referral services is crucial for effective parliamentary proceedings.
  • The Parliament Library and Reference, Research, Documentation and Information Service (LARRDIS) is one of the best in India, but only a few Members of Parliament (MP) use it.
  • The Parliament Library and Reference, Research, Documentation and Information Service (LARRDIS) is prompt and efficient, but inputs are limited to its digitised volumes.
  • Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) fellowships fill the gap, but have finite resources, leading to reliance on political aides or external consultants.
  • The volume of requests by MPs for information surged from 150 in 1950 to over 8,000 in 2019.
  • LARRDIS operates largely in isolation, with minimal partnerships with universities, think tanks, or consulting firms, limiting its ability to provide proactive policy analysis and predict trends.
  • To meet the evolving demands of Indian democracy, LARRDIS needs to evolve into an agile, forward-looking, and inclusive research hub.
  • Other parliamentary research services like the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), Argentine’s Scientific Office for Legislative Advice (OCAL), France’s Parliamentary Office for Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Options (OPECST), and Mexico’s Office for Information of Science and Technology for the Congress of the Union (INCyTU) serve similar roles.
  • LARRDIS could emulate a proactive 360-degree approach, partnering with academic institutions for policy-relevant studies to address complex and emerging issues.
  • A phased and consultative approach aligned with global best practices would be ideal for restructuring LARRDIS.
  • A state-of-the-art research service would bridge the information asymmetry between legislature and executive, enhance the quality of debates, and strengthen the trust of citizens in parliamentary processes.