Lok Sabha Adjourned Sine Die; Most Productive Session Since 1952, Says Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday said it was the most productive session since 1952. He was speaking before adjourning the House sine die.

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday said it was the most productive session since 1952. He was speaking before adjourning the House sine die. The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha, which began on June 17, was to conclude on July 26, but it was extended till August 7. The session had 37 sittings of total 280 hours, in which 36 bills were passed while 33 were introduced in the Lower House, Birla said. He also mentioned that the House sat for 75 hours during late in the evening to transact the business. The Bills include the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Muslim Women Protection Bill, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019 which bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature, and Ladakh Union Territory without a legislature. It was the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha which started on June 17. On June 17 and June 18, the 539 newly-elected members took oath. Birla said 1,086 issues were raised by members mostly first timers during the Zero hour. Out of the 265 first time members, 229 got chance to speak during the Zero Hour, while 42 out of 46 women MPs also spoke during the same period, he said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi requested Speaker Om Birla to adjourn the proceedings sine die as "99 per cent" of the government business has been completed. (With inputs from agencies)