With less disruptions, Winter Session ends on positive note

In sharp contrast to the last Monsoon session in which most of the time was lost in disruptions, the Winter session of Parliament that concluded on Friday...

In sharp contrast to the last Monsoon session in which most of the time was lost in disruptions, the Winter session of Parliament that concluded on Friday was marked by a more prudent approach of political parties towards the transaction of important financial, legislative and other business.

“There were 17 sittings of the Lok Sabha spread over 90 hours. While 20 hours (of the scheduled time) were lost (due to disruptions), the House sat late to compensate over 17 hours,” Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said in his valedictory reference. In the Rajya Sabha, 18 hours were lost but the House compensated for it by sitting over 26 hours beyond the scheduled time.

“It was a good, successful session. Political parties in Parliament, especially the Opposition, did cooperate in completing legislative business,” said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

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During the session, 14 Bills (13 in LS and one in RS) were introduced. The Lok Sabha passed 14 Bills and the Rajya Sabha passed 15 Bills during this period. Total number of Bills passed by both Houses during the session was 15.

The important Bills passed during the 23-day long session included the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2007; the Tyre Corporation of India Ltd (Disinvestment of Ownership) Bill, 2007; the Payment and Settlement Systems Bill, 2006; and the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2007.

The four short duration discussions held in the Lok Sabha were on: Proposal to set up SEZ in Nandigram, West Bengal and consequent large scale violence; Indo-US nuclear agreement; need for harmonious functioning of three organs of the State, i.e. Legislature, Judiciary and Executive; and internal security.

There were three short duration discussions in the Rajya Sabha on: SEZ proposal in Nandigram; Indo-US deal; and the situation arising out of the misuse of fund under the NREGS.