The Winter Session of the Rajya Sabha concluded on a discordant note on Friday, with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar adjourning the House sine die.
The session, marked by frequent disruptions and low productivity, drew sharp criticism from Dhankhar, who urged members to reflect on their responsibilities and prioritise meaningful debate over political discord.
In his valedictory remarks, Dhankhar expressed concern over the functioning of the Upper House.
“This session's productivity stands at a mere 40.03 per cent with just 43 hours and 27 minutes of productive functioning. As Parliamentarians, we are drawing severe criticism from the people of India—and rightfully so. These persistent disruptions are steadily eroding public trust in our democratic institutions,” he said.
The Winter Session, which began on 25 November, coincided with the 75th anniversary of the Constitution’s adoption.
The Chairman observed, “While our celebration of Samvidhan Diwas in the historic Samvidhan Sadan was meant to reaffirm democratic values, our actions in this House tell a different story.”
Reflecting on the proceedings, Dhankhar highlighted a few legislative accomplishments, such as the passage of the Oilfields Amendment Bill and the Boilers Bill, and the statement by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on India-China relations. However, he lamented that these achievements were overshadowed by repeated disruptions.
The Chairman also criticised the trend of publicising notices through the media before formal parliamentary discussion. “The growing trend of publicising notices through media before Parliamentary consideration and recourse to Rule 267 further undermine our institutional dignity,” he said.
He urged members to reflect on their conduct and responsibilities, stating, “The 1.4 billion citizens of Bharat expect better from us. It is time to choose between meaningful debate and destructive disruption. Our democratic legacy demands we rise above political differences and restore the sanctity of Parliamentary discourse. Let us return with renewed commitment to serve our nation with the dignity it deserves.”
Earlier in the day, the House witnessed opposition protests and was adjourned in the morning amid uproar.
Subsequently, Dhankhar held discussions with Leader of the House J P Nadda, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, and leaders of other opposition parties, including Jairam Ramesh and Tiruchi Siva, to address the stalemate.
When the House reconvened at noon, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved a motion nominating 12 members to the joint parliamentary committee tasked with examining the bills on simultaneous elections, popularly referred to as ‘one nation, one election.’ The motion was adopted by voice vote.
Despite the conclusion of the Winter Session, the shadow of unresolved tensions and discord lingers over the Upper House, raising questions about the future course of parliamentary deliberations.
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