Parliament's winter session ends a week ahead of schedule, key bills not taken up

Parliament concluded a truncated winter session, one marred by walkouts and heated exchanges over recent transgressions by Chinese troops, on December 23, a week ahead of its original schedule. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die (indefinitely), having convened on December 7.

“The Centre did not have any agenda or Bills to run the business in both Houses. Session has been concluded ahead of its original schedule -- and this shows the seriousness of the incumbent government,” senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said.

In the session, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jadgeep Dhankhar rejected 12 notices under Rule 267 by opposition MPs who demanded the suspension of regular proceedings to discuss issues raised by them. Most notices wanted a discussion on the border issue with China.

The notices followed reports of clashes between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Congress party held meetings with some other opposition parties to corner the government over inflation, unemployment and other issues. The parties also protested near the Gandhi statue in Parliament against the government not allowing them to debate such issues in both Houses.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–led government had earlier it would take up 16 new Bills and seven pending Bills for introduction in Parliament. Bills that were passed include the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2022, Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill, 2019.

The Digital Data Protection Bill, Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill and bills to amend the Banking Act and the insolvency law have been pushed to next year now.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said, "During the session, meaningful and positive discussions were held on many subjects in the interest of the country. The productivity of the session was 97 percent."