New Delhi [India]: The Fourteenth Session of the 17th Lok Sabha, which commenced on December 4, 2023, was adjourned sine die a day ahead of schedule on Thursday, recorded 74 per cent productivity in the Winter Session of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said.
With regard to the business of the House, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla delivering his valedictory address informed the House that the Session that commenced on December 4, comprising 14 sittings which lasted for about 61 hours and 50 minutes.
House productivity during the fourteenth Session of the 17th Lok Sabha was 74 per cent, informed Birla.
Birla also informed that 12 Government Bills were introduced and 18 Bills were passed, during the session. Some of the important bills passed by the House during the Session were as follows:
The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023; The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023; The Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023; The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023; and The Telecommunications Bill, 2023.
Supplementary Demands for Grants – First Batch for 2023-2024 and Demands for Excess Grants for 2020-2021 were discussed and passed during the Session, Birla informed.
Birla mentioned that 55-starred questions were answered orally during the Session. A total number of 265 matters were taken up under Rule 377, Birla added.
During the Session, 182 Matters of Urgent Public Importance were raised, informed the Speaker.
The Speaker brought to the attention of the House that the Department-related Standing Committees of the Lok Sabha presented 35 reports. During the Session, 33 Statements were made under Direction 73A and a total number of 34 Statements, including three Statements given by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in connection with parliamentary business, were made.
As many as, 1930 papers were laid on the Table of the House, the Speaker informed the House, informed Birla.
Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Thursday, a day ahead of the scheduled close of the Winter Session of Parliament after the House passed some key bills, including that related to the appointment of CEC and Election Commissioners and a bill to replace Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867.
The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 and the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 were passed on Thursday.
Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House sine die after the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill was passed.
The Winter session of Parliament, which commenced on December 4, saw a breach of security incident on December 13 when two men jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery. They were carrying smoke canisters and were later apprehended. Members cutting across party lines expressed their concern and a high-level probe is being done into the incident.
The session also saw the suspension of 100 opposition MPs, most of them for the remainder of the winter session, for “misconduct”. The privileges committee has also been asked to look into the “gross misconduct” of some members.
The opposition members had been demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah over the security breach incident.
Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023.
These will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.
Amit Shah said in his reply to the debate on the three bills in Lok Sabha that for the first time, changes have been made in the three laws governing the nearly 150-year-old criminal justice system.
The winter session of Parliament was to conclude on December 22.
