Delhi: The Lok Sabha witnessed significant disruptions during the recently concluded Winter Session of Parliament, resulting in the loss of 65 hours and 15 minutes. This marks the highest amount of time lost due to interruptions in any of the three sessions held this year.
The Winter Session, which took place from November 25 to December 20, saw 20 sittings. However, despite the substantial number of sittings, the House struggled with continuous disruptions, significantly affecting its productivity. The disruptions were largely caused by protests and interruptions, preventing crucial debates and discussions from taking place smoothly.
The time lost during the Winter Session surpassed the interruptions in both the Budget and Monsoon Sessions of the year. In comparison, the Budget Session lost 5 hours and 37 minutes, and the Monsoon Session saw 1 hour and 53 minutes of lost time due to similar disruptions.
Despite these challenges, the Winter Session saw the introduction of five Bills, with four being passed. Among these were two landmark Bills on simultaneous elections, which were referred to a 39-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further examination.
The session also saw significant parliamentary activity, with a total of 61 starred questions answered orally, and 182 matters of urgent public importance raised during the Zero Hour. Furthermore, 397 matters were discussed under Rule 377, which provides a platform for members to raise specific issues.
The session also saw a meaningful discussion on the “Glorious Journey of 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution of India” between December 13 and December 14, marking a historic milestone in the country’s parliamentary journey.
Despite these positive developments, the disruptions heavily impacted the productivity of the House. According to official data, the overall productivity during the session stood at 57.87%, a clear reflection of the time lost to disruptions.
On the last day of the Winter Session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addressed the importance of maintaining the dignity and decorum of Parliament. Birla emphasized that disruptions and protests hinder the functioning of the House and urged members to prioritize productive debates for the greater good of the nation.
As the session concluded, the government and opposition parties both called for greater cooperation in future sessions, urging for an end to the frequent disruptions that have plagued parliamentary proceedings.
