The winter session of the 18th Lok Sabha concluded on Friday, December 20, marking the end of a session that began on November 25. The session saw a total of 20 meetings in the Lok Sabha and 19 in the Rajya Sabha, with combined proceedings running for approximately 105 hours. Despite the time spent, productivity remained a concern, with the Lok Sabha operating at 54% and the Rajya Sabha at 41%.
During the session, the government had listed 16-17 bills for consideration, but only five were introduced in the Lok Sabha, and out of these, four were passed. However, the most debated bill, the “One Nation, One Election” proposal, was sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for further deliberation. Discussions on the Constitution also took significant time, with 15 hours and 43 minutes dedicated in the Lok Sabha, involving participation from 62 members. Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha saw over 17 hours of debate on the Constitution, with contributions from 80 members of Parliament.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee saw an increase in its member count during the session. Initially proposed to have 31 members, the size was expanded to 39 following demands from various political parties. According to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, the addition included four members each from the National Democratic Alliance and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
The session began on a contentious note, with heated discussions surrounding the Adani Group. This was followed by debates on the Manipur violence and farmers’ issues, which further escalated tensions. The controversy around the Constitution debate persisted until the end of the session. On December 19, the situation worsened with physical altercations in the Parliament, resulting in injuries to two Bharatiya Janata Party members of Parliament. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was subsequently charged with allegedly pushing members during the scuffle.
Reflecting on the session, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed dissatisfaction with the limited work accomplished. He noted that disruptions not only waste the Parliament’s time but also undermine the country’s progress. Kiren Rijiju emphasized that Parliament sessions involve significant financial investment and urged members of Parliament to avoid such disruptions in the future.
Commenting on the altercation, Kiren Rijiju termed the incident “regrettable and condemnable.” He lamented that instead of constructive debates, the session was marred by chaos, affecting both governance and the nation’s legislative progress.
The winter session, marked by limited productivity and political turbulence, highlighted the challenges of achieving meaningful legislative progress amidst persistent disruptions.
