Parliament Winter Session: Dhankhar calls for 'serious reflection' after disruptions kill productivity

In Lok Sabha, 11 out of 20 days of the winter session saw productivity at less than 6 per cent, while Rajya Sabha saw 12 days where productivity was less than 15 per cent.

New Delhi: Parliament witnessed huge disruptions during the Winter Session that ended on Friday. While four Bills were passed in Lok Sabha, three were passed in Rajya Sabha.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said it is the collective responsibility of all members to maintain the dignity and decorum of Parliament.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "as we conclude this session... we face a moment of serious reflection. The stark reality is troubling. 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."

"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," he added.

Lok Sabha

Sittings: 20

Productivity: 57.87% or 62 hours

Bills Introduced: 5

Bills Passed: 4

Zero Hour Matter Raised: 182

Issues Raised Under Rule 377: 397

Highest Productivity on Dec 16: 153%

11 days saw productivity at less than 6%

Time Lost due to Disruption in Lok Sabha: 65:15 hours

Rajya Sabha

Sittings: 19

Productivity: 40.03% or 43:27 hours

Bills Passed: 3

Highest Productivity on Dec 17: 153%

12 days saw productivity less than 15%

Question Hour

In Rajya Sabha

* Did not function in 15 of 19 days

* Functioned for 21% of 19 hours

In Lok Sabha

* Did not function for more than 10 minutes on 12 of 20 days

* Functioned for 44% of 20 hours

The Story of One Bill

* During 18th Lok Sabha, 15 Bills introduced since July this year

* Only one – The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 – passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in first two sessions

* Five bills passed by either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha and pending in the other House

Bills Introduced in Lok Sabha

* The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024.

*The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024.

* The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024.

* The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024

* The Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2024

Bills referred to the Joint Committee of the Houses of Parliament

* The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024.

*The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024

Bills Passed by Lok Sabha

* The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024

* The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024

*The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

* The Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2024.

Bills Passed by Rajya Sabha

* The Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024.

* The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024.

* The Boilers Bill, 2024.

Source: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, PRS Legislative Research