Parliament session ends with nothing concrete this time

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Parliament Winter Session ends with nothing concrete
Parliament Winter Session ends with nothing concrete

New Delhi : A month-long winter session in Parliament concluded on Friday with nothing concrete this time due to continuous protest by opposition leaders over demonetisation of old Indian currency in Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

This was also the least productive session ever in last 15 years.

Due to the repeated disruptions, Lok Sabha could function only for 15.75 per cent and lost 92 hours while Rajya Sabha worked for 20.61 per cent and lost about 86 hours.

Many important discussions including important GST bill remained pending due to no business in 21 scheduled sittings of the session that began on November 16.

The only significant legislative action was the passage of the Rights of Persons with Disability Bill by both the Houses, that too on the last day of the Parliament.

While adjourning the two Houses sine die, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari expressed pain and anguish over the repeated disruptions.

Ansari said "all sections" of the House need to introspect on the distinction between dissent, disruption and agitation.

"Regular and continuous disruptions characterised this Session. The symbolism of dignified protests, so essential for orderly conduct of Parliamentary proceedings, was abandoned," he lamented.

"The prohibition in the Rules about shouting slogans, displaying posters and obstructing proceedings by leaving their assigned places was consistently ignored by all sections of the House," he said, adding that "peace prevailed only when obituaries were read".

(with inputs from agencies)