Winter Session ends prematurely. RS clocks 47% productivity, 19 hours lost to disruptions in LS

File image of the Indian parliament building pictured in New Delhi

Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die on December 22, bringing an end to the Winter Session of Parliament a day ahead of schedule.

The Session was marred by Opposition protests on a host of issues, including suspension of 12 members of the Rajya Sabha and the alleged involvement of junior home minister Ajay Misra Teni’s son in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Read: Poor attendance in parliamentary panels a rising concern

During the Session that began on November 29, while the Lok Sabha clocked 82 per cent business productivity through 18 sittings, the Rajya Sabha registered productivity of only 47 per cent through 18 sittings, according to Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.
The government had listed 26 Bills in the agenda for the Winter Session. But only 13 Bills were introduced in both the Houses while 11 Bills were passed by both the Houses of Parliament. The much-awaited Bill to regulate  cryptocurrencies could not be taken up either.

Last year, the Winter Session was not held due to concerns raised by several parties over the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Winter Session of 2019, the Lok Sabha productivity was 110 per cent, while that of the Rajya Sabha was 92 per cent, according to analysis by PRS Legislative Research.

In the Monsoon Session held in July-August, the Lok Sabha registered  a business productivity of 22 per cent, while it was 28 percent for the Rajya Sabha.

Also, read: Derek O’Brien hurls rule book at Rajya Sabha Chair, suspended from House

A government statement said that the Winter Session 2021 was called off a day before the scheduled date of December 23 on completion of essential government businesses.

The most significant Bills that got the green light from both the Houses include the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021, to repeal the contentious farm laws, and the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which sought to link Aadhaar numbers with voter IDs. Other legislations passed include fixing the tenure of directors of Enforcement Directorate and CBI at five years and supplementary demands for grants.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress President Sonia Gandhi were present in the House on the last day.

Also, read: Explained: All you need to know about the Bill seeking to link Aadhaar with electoral rolls

The Lok Sabha clocked 83 hours and 12 minutes of work through the 18 sittings this session. Speaker Om Birla said the House lost 18 hours 48 minutes to disruptions but saw productivity reaching 204 per cent on December 2 when the members discussed COVID-19.

“A total of 99 MPs participated in the 12-hour-26-minute-long discussion on the COVID19, in which they shared with the House the best work done in their respective areas during the COVID period,” Birla said.

Parliament commenced on 29th Nov'21 and today it is concluded. We had 18 sittings spread over 24 days. Lok Sabha's productivity was 82% and Rajya Sabha was 47%. 9 bills passed in the RS and 11 passed in LS: Pralhad Joshi, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister pic.twitter.com/tQUMzPkbob

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2021

The Rajya Sabha, on the other hand, discharged business only for 45 hours 34 minutes out of a scheduled sitting time of 95 hours 6 minutes.

Also, read: Lok Sabha productivity drops to 22 percent, 76 hours lost to disruptions in Rajya Sabha in Monsoon Session

This Upper House’s productivity of 47.90 per cent was the fifth lowest among 12 sessions presided over by M Venkaiah Naidu over the last four years, according to news agency ANI. A total time of 49 hours and 32 minutes were lost due to disruptions and forced adjournments. The time lost amounts to 52.08 per cent of the available time, the agency said.

In his brief valedictory remarks, Naidu urged members to collectively reflect and individually introspect on the way the Session has gone by.

“I am not happy to share with you that the House functioned much below its potential. I urge all of you to collectively and individually reflect and introspect if this Session could have been different and better,” Naidu said.

The Session was stormy because of disruptions by members of Opposition parties over the suspension of the 12 MPs for their “unruly” conduct in the previous session in August. The Opposition members also demanded resignation of Ajay Misra Teni for his son’s alleged involvement in the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh.

(With PTI inputs)