Lok Sabha adjourned sine die

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 23

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday with the Monsoon Session curtailed by seven days amid concerns of spread of the Covid-19 virus among the members.

The House, which achieved a productivity of 167 percent in the brief 10 days it functioned, saw the passage of 25 legislations, including the contentious agriculture legislations amid vociferous objections from Opposition parties

In the absence of a Question Hour for the first time in the history of Parliament, members received written answers to as many as 2300 questions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present when Speaker Om Birla announced the adjournment of the House. 

Presenting the details of the proceedings, Birla thanked all the MPs for the smooth running of the House. Many important bills were passed and issues discussed, he said adding that during the Zero Hour, MPs raised as many as 370 issues of public importance. 

The last day of the Monsoon Session also saw Lok Sabha members thanking Speaker Om Birla for efficiently running the House in spite of difficult circumstances in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

Led by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, several members also thanked Birla for giving everyone a chance to speak during the Zero Hour. Majority of Opposition parties were absent on the last day of the Session.

Calling Birla “Zero Hour ka hero”, Joshi said when he became the MP for the first time, “we (MPs) would be happy if they got the chance to speak even once during the Session”.  “You have given time to everyone (to speak in the Zero Hour)…everyone is happy and would like to thank you. You have become Zero Hour ka hero,” Joshi said.

Praising Birla and also Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, Joshi said: “Even in these difficult circumstances you (Birla) and Chairman Rajya Sabha have done so well to run the Parliament. Our number is quite big. Despite the politically tense situation you managed the House so well talking everyone along”.

“Everyone followed the protocol in letter and spirit. With God’s grace the Parliament functioned for 10 days without any difficulty despite 3000-4000 people coming here. We did not face many difficulties because of your efforts and God’s grace,” said Joshi also thanking the Opposition MPs after several members finished raising their issues during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha. The session, which was to run till October 1, has been curtailed keeping in mind the rising number of coronavirus infections.