The winter session of Parliament concluded on Friday with both Houses adjourned sine die, marking an end to a turbulent session marred by political confrontations and low productivity. The session witnessed heated debates on India’s constitutional journey and the introduction of two landmark bills on simultaneous elections, but it also saw heightened animosity over alleged remarks against B. R. Ambedkar, leading to acrimonious exchanges between ruling and opposition parties.
In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Om Birla adjourned proceedings within three minutes on the final day due to lingering bitterness from Thursday’s spat between National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and opposition MPs. Customary closing remarks summarizing the session’s achievements were notably absent.
The Rajya Sabha fared slightly better, with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar delivering valedictory remarks before adjourning the House. Dhankhar urged MPs to rise above political differences to preserve the sanctity of parliamentary discourse. The Rajya Sabha recorded only 40% productivity, functioning for 43 hours and 27 minutes during the session that began on November 25.
The Lok Sabha, with a slightly better performance, reported 58% productivity, a sharp decline from past sessions where it often exceeded 100%. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju attributed the low productivity to continuous protests by the opposition, especially the Congress, despite earlier agreements to allow proceedings. Rijiju urged all parties to reflect on the disruption and pledged to continue engaging with opposition leaders.
During the session, the Lok Sabha introduced five bills and passed four, while the Rajya Sabha passed three bills. A notable highlight was a special session held in the ‘Samvidhan Sadan’ to commemorate Constitution Day on November 26, where spirited debates on the “Glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India” were held in both Houses.
However, tensions peaked on Thursday when an altercation between MPs left two BJP members hospitalized and led to an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The conflict stemmed from alleged remarks by Home Minister Amit Shah, which opposition parties deemed disrespectful to B. R. Ambedkar. Protests and counter-protests erupted inside and outside Parliament, escalating political friction.
Two landmark bills, the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth) Amendment Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, were introduced to implement simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bills were referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
The session’s contentious atmosphere was capped by opposition notices for no-confidence against Dhankhar and privilege motions against Shah and Gandhi, signaling deep divisions among Parliament’s stakeholders. Despite legislative progress, the session will be remembered for its polarizing debates and unprecedented political confrontations.
