Monsoon session: Lok Sabha adjourned sine-die, 14 bills introduced 12 passed

New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS) The curtains fell on the 18th Lok Sabha on Thursday as Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House sine die, bringing an end to a session marked by legislative productivity on paper but marred by persistent disruptions and vocal protests from the Opposition over the special intensive revision of Bihar's electoral rolls.

The state is scheduled to hold Assembly elections in November this year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived at 12.04 p.m. to participate in the concluding proceedings.

In his valedictory remarks, Speaker Om Birla expressed grave concern over the conduct of certain members, citing the use of placards and slogans couched in unparliamentary language.

Meanwhile, members continued to shout "Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod", in clear violation of parliamentary decorum.

"Our conduct is being watched by the entire nation," Speaker Birla declared, urging all members to uphold the dignity of the House and preserve the values of the world's largest democracy.

He informed the House that, as agreed in the Business Advisory Committee meeting, 120 hours had been allocated for discussion.

However, due to repeated and coordinated disruptions by Opposition members, only 37 hours were utilised.

Speaker Birla noted that 419 starred questions had been submitted, yet only 55 were answered.

"This is not just a procedural failure. It is a breach of public trust," he said.

He said the people of India expect accountability, not slogans.

The entire session saw the introduction of 14 bills and the passage of 12, including the Income Tax Bill, the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, and the National Sports Governance Bill. Online Gaming Regulation Bill.

However, the 130th Amendment to the Constitution Bill was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Meanwhile, the Opposition's persistent demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into electoral roll revisions in Bihar and other issues led to frequent walkouts and stalled proceedings throughout the session.

The session was not without its moments of pride and progress.

A special discussion on Operation Sindoor - India's strategic military response to the Pahalgam terror attack - was held on July 28-29, with Prime Minister Modi addressing the House.

The operation was hailed as a calibrated and resolute counter-terror initiative, reinforcing India’s defence posture.

Equally celebrated in the House was Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's space journey, marking India's return to the International Space Station.

Speaker Birla further praised the achievement, calling it "a testament to India's scientific excellence and global leadership."

Despite these highlights, the Speaker's tone turned stern as he addressed the conduct of certain members.

"Slogans and placards, and unparliamentary language are not merely violations of decorum - they are insults to the democratic spirit," he said.

However, members of the Opposition paid no heed to even his valedictory remarks and kept on shouting slogans like "Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod", with more intensity.

Speaker Birla emphasised that the House is not a platform for theatrics but a sacred space for policy and debate.

"Our conduct is being watched by the entire nation. We must rise to the expectations of the people," he said/

His appeals to the Opposition to restore order were ignored, and the disruptions continued until the final moments.

Earlier, he declined to entertain any of the multiple adjournment notices received on Thursday but allowed a brief business, including the presentation of several committee reports; Kalyan Vaijinathrao Kale tabled reports from the Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers.

Gajendra Singh Patel submitted reports from the Social Justice and Empowerment Committee for 2024–25.

Ministers from key portfolios, including Home Affairs (Nityanand Rai), Environment (Kirtivardhan Singh), Ports and Shipping (Shantanu Thakur), Road Transport (Ajay Tamta), Education (Sukanta Majumdar), and Civil Aviation (Murlidhar Mohol), laid departmental papers before the House.

Before adjourning the House sine die, Speaker Birla thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all members who participated constructively and urged future Lok Sabha sessions to recommit to the values of deliberation, dignity, and democratic responsibility.

As the Monsoon session of the 18th Lok Sabha closes, the nation now looks ahead to the Assembly elections in Bihar with hopes that the next chapter will restore the integrity and effectiveness of parliamentary proceedings.

--IANS

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