Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu also delivered closing remarks with PM Modi in attendance.
After a lacklustre session that saw a loss of over 44 hours due to acrimonious disruptions and disagreements, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday bringing an end to the Budget session, the last Parliament session of the present government. Even as the last day too saw disruptions over the Rafale jet deal issue, the House passed the Interim Budget and Finance Bill and the Motion of Thanks on the President's address through a voice vote without discussion.
The end of the session also meant the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2018, and the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 or the Triple Talaq Bill lapsed. The House also passed the Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2019, and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill, 2019 without any discussion.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu also delivered closing remarks with PM Modi in attendance. Reflecting on the Budget session and Bills passed in the last five years. Naidu said that the "important Budget session of Rajya Sabha turned out to be another wasted opportunity. This only reinforces the dysfunctional pattern that has been evident over the last few years which is a matter of serious concern and it will be a big challenge to democracy."
Naidu lamented the fact that since June 2014, the productivity of the House, in terms of time available and time utilized for taking up legislative business and issues of public concern is only 60 per cent. He added that declining productivity and legislative output is a matter of deep concern.
Earlier, disruptions by SP, TMC members led to adjournment of the House between 11.20 pm and 12 pm. After business resumed, Naidu said informed the House that it was agreed upon unanimously that there would be no discussion on the Motion of Thanks on President's address. In the absence of Finance Minister Piyush Goyal, MoS Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla moved a motion to adopt the Vote on Account Bill, 2019, and it was passed by a voice vote.
How Rajya Sabha Fared During This Period, That Of Last 5 Yrs
- Since June 2014, RS held 18 sessions & 329 sittings till Feb 13, 2019 and passed 149 Bills, which was less than 2 Bills in 2 sittings.
- This was lesser than the 188 Bills passed during 2009-14 and an astonishing 63 Bills lesser than 251 Bills passed during 2004-09.
- Budget session that ended on Wednesday had 10 sittings in all and the House sat for only more than 2 hours during entire session
- During the session, more than 44 hours were lost due to disruptions, largely on Rafale deal, CBI issue and Citizenship Bill
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