Parliament for the people

Speeches and debates in the Parliament of any nation are the most powerful tools in re-designing a country's laws and policies as well as its growth and development. For Era Sezhiyan, Parliament is a growing institution, promoting the democratic and social development of the country and he is hopeful that the Members coming to Parliament will be more effective and successful in fulfilling their responsibility and accountability to the people who are sovereign in a democracy.

As a distinguished Member of Parliament for more than two decades (1962-84) and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Shri Sezhiyan's contribution to parliamentary debate and national issues affecting the lives of the common people is extraordinary. He became known as a 'constitutional pundit' and 'Master of Rules and Procedures' for his knowledge of the rules of business of Parliament and the historical development of India's Constitution. Some of the speeches Shri Era Sezhiyan made are considered even today as milestones in the development of democracy in India.

Shri Sezhiyan fought long and hard against imposition of President's Rule on states and the arrogation of emergency powers by the government in the 70s. He worked towards the emergence of a genuine federalism in India, through adequacy and elasticity of state financial resources, prevention of the unconstitutional encroachment by the Centre on the powers of the states and strengthening of their cultural, linguistic and administrative autonomy. He critiqued the government's economic policies, the tendency to institute major structural changes in finances without Parliament's approval, to nullify decrees with notifications and to appropriate resources without sanction from the Parliament. On many occasions the Speaker accepted his objections and later the courts upheld his petitions on these matters.