Parliament winter session: Worked longer, scrutinised less

NEW DELHI: Parliament’s winter session saw seven of nine bills passed within a week of introduction, even as both Houses sat beyond scheduled hours and spent more time debating than legislating. The session, held from December 1 to 19, ended with the Lok Sabha functioning for 103% and the Rajya Sabha for 104% of their scheduled time, according PRS Legislative Research. Despite the extended sittings, legislative business accounted for 36% of Lok Sabha time and 30% of Rajya Sabha time, continuing a pattern seen across recent winter sessions. More than 40% of the time in both Houses was spent on debates, driven mainly by special discussions on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram and electoral reforms. Financial business occupied a limited share. Seven of the nine Bills introduced were passed within one week, including laws with wide policy implications relating to nuclear energy regulation, rural job scheme, and insurance reforms. Several of these bills were introduced in the final week of the session, leaving little time for extended debate or scrutiny. Two bills, on higher education regulation and integration of three securities laws into a single code, were referred to parliamentary committees. Committee scrutiny also remained limited beyond the session. Of the 42 bills introduced so far in the 18th Lok Sabha, 11 have been referred to committees. Most of these went to Joint Committees, including two bills on simultaneous elections and three bills concerning the removal of ministers upon detention. Only one bill, the Securities Markets Code, was referred to a department-related Standing Committee.



Source link