Budget session of Parliament ends

PAR-SINEDIE

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) The budget session of Indian
Parliament concluded Friday amid growing concerns by Presiding
Officers over "disturbing frequency" of disruptions and
Speaker Meira Kumar lamenting that the House was being
rendered "irrelevant".
The two-and-a-half month long session saw 70 hours of Lok
Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) and 45 hours of Rajya
Sabha (Upper House of Indian Parliament) being wasted due to
disruptions over various issues including women's bill,
nuclear liability bill and price rise.
"An overview of the session cannot avoid the impression
that much time was lost in disruptions and adjournments
arising out of disruptions," Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari
said.
He expressed anguish over the lowering of the "image of
the legislature" in the eyes of public.
"Rules for the conduct of business were sought to be
flouted with disturbing frequency. The Question Hour became
its principal victim and could not be conducted on 13 of the
31 scheduled sittings," he observed.
Expressing "great concern" over the disruptions, Kumar
said, "It is a matter of great concern that the House did not
function on many days.
"Parliamentary democracy can survive only if members allow
the House to function. Disruption of the House will gradually
render this institution irrelevant."
Kumar later told reporters that she will speak to all
parties on whether the Question Hour needs to be shifted (from
its 11 AM slot). "Very few questions were asked. Since the
government is accountable to Parliament, it is vital that
questions are asked," she said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal disapproved of
the adjournments by the members of the ruling party saying
they should not behave like Opposition members.
The landmark Women's Reservation Bill was passed by the
Rajya Sabha but could not be introduced in Lok Sabha due
to strong opposition from the Yadav trio -- Samajwadi Party
(SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)
chief Lalu Prasad and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) President
Sharad Yadav.
The Budget session had begun on February 22 with the
President's Address to both Houses and there were 32 sittings.
PTI AMR
MRD


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