Lok Sabha Adjourns Sine Die After Stormy Monsoon Session
13 August, New Delhi
The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die Thursday after a stormy monsoon session that was marred by protests, mobbing of the well, boycotts or repeated adjournments ever since of its commencementon July 21.
Prior to adjournment, the House introduced two Bills in the absence of theOpposition that boycotted the Question Hour amid sloganeeringover demand of statement of Prime Minister over Vyapam, Lalit Modi issueand other contentious issues. While Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda introduced the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill,2015, MoS Finance Jayant Sinha introduced the Indian Trusts (Amendment) Bill 2015.
The nearly washed-out session that also witnessed suspension of 25 Congressmembers for five days, was commenced July 21 and lasted for17 sittings all of which were marred by protests and boycotts by members.
In an unusual move yesterday, the House also held discussion on adjournmentmotion brought by the Congress demanding resignation by External AffairsMinister Sushma Swaraj for alleged ‘Lalitgate’. The motion was rejected bya voice vote. Voting too was held in the absence of the opposition. During the 17 sittings, that lasted for a total of 47 hours and 19 minutes, formalisedpassage of 6 Bills, either amid the din or in the absence of the opposition.
Ten Bills have also been introduced besides the other Question Hour and Zero Hour business. Due to protests by the opposition, it suffered a loss of more than 34 hours due to frequent adjournments.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan expressed anguish over the continued disruptions of the proceedings.
Ms Mahajan said “the House lost more than 34 hours of business. The House could not transact any significant legislative business except the passage of thesupplementary demands for grants relating to the General Budget and Railways.
The Speaker said she did her best to resolve the deadlock but in vain.
Recalling the suspension of 25 Congress members for five days, she said “I had to take this tough action as a last resort’. Eds: Pl pick up suitably from earlier series.