Lok Sabha loses over 70 hours due to disruptions during winter session

The Winter Session of Parliament witnessed substantial disruptions, with the Lok Sabha losing over 70 hours due to adjournments and protests. The most significant disruption occurred in the third sitting, which accounted for a staggering 65 hours and 15 minutes of lost time. The session, which began on November 25, concluded abruptly earlier today after being declared sine die amid ongoing protests by Opposition MPs following a scuffle on December 19.

According to official data, the Lok Sabha lost 5 hours and 37 minutes in the first sitting, 1 hour and 53 minutes in the second, and a massive 65 hours and 15 minutes in the third. Despite these setbacks, MPs worked diligently to address pending matters, extending sittings in an attempt to recover lost time.

The first session of the Winter Session was marked by exchanges between the NDA and Congress over the association of their respective parties with business tycoon Gautam Adani and billionaire George Soros. This led to a total of just 34.16 hours of debate. The second sitting, however, saw a significant improvement, with 115.21 hours of discussion, although the third sitting’s debate time dropped to just 62 hours, reflecting the ongoing disruptions.

The session consisted of three phases: seven sittings in the first phase, 15 in the second, and 20 in the third. To make up for the lost time, the House extended sittings in the third phase by 21.7 hours. Despite the challenges, MPs remained committed to completing the scheduled business. In total, the government introduced 12 bills in the second session and five in the third, with most of them being cleared.

Notable bills introduced in the third session included the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024, the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, and the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024. Several bills, including the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024, were passed during the session.

Furthermore, the number of matters raised under Rule 377 increased substantially during the session, with 397 issues raised in the third sitting, compared to 358 in the second and 41 in the first.

Despite the challenges of disruptions, MPs worked tirelessly to manage the business of the house and address important issues, ensuring that some progress was made in the Winter Session of Parliament.