The recent parliamentary session in India ended with a significant display of productivity, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die on Friday. This closure came ahead of the initially scheduled end of the session on August 12. The session saw a marked improvement in productivity, clocking in at an impressive 136 percent.
During this session, key legislative business was completed, including the passing of the Finance Bill. Another important bill, aimed at amending the Waqf Act, was introduced and referred to a joint committee of Parliament despite facing protests regarding its provisions.
The Finance Minister also presented the Union Budget for 2024-25 on July 23, which was discussed for 27 hours and 19 minutes with contributions from 181 members. The Finance Minister's reply to this extensive discussion came on July 30.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla highlighted that 12 government bills were introduced, of which four were passed. These included the Finance Bill, 2024, the Appropriation Bill, 2024, the Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2024, and the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024. The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak focuses on regulating various aspects of aviation, including the design, manufacture, and operation of aircraft.
However, the Rajya Sabha's proceedings were less smooth, marred by multiple adjournments due to opposition protests. The session saw a contentious exchange involving Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Bachchan criticised the chairman's handling of the debate, leading to a walkout by opposition members. The chairman’s remarks about the opposition’s behaviour drew further criticism, with Leader of the House JP Nadda condemning the opposition's conduct as improper.
Aside from legislative matters, the session also focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation and addressing internal parliamentary issues. A notable development was the adoption of a motion to name 31 members for a joint committee to examine the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. This committee will include 21 Lok Sabha MPs and 10 Rajya Sabha MPs.
The session also saw the introduction of several key bills. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw presented the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which aims to streamline the governance of Indian Railways by integrating provisions from the Indian Railway Board Act, 1905, into the Railways Act, 1989. Additionally, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, designed to enhance governance standards in the banking sector.
The parliamentary session demonstrated a high level of productivity and legislative activity, despite facing challenges and disruptions. The early adjournment of both houses underscores the efficiency of the session, reflecting a significant achievement in parliamentary functioning.
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