The 252nd session of the Rajya Sabha ended on Wednesday with the passage of four bills, including three for labour codes that were passed as one bill.
This was the second shortest monsoon session of the Rajya Sabha and the third shortest of all the 252 sessions of the House so far. The 89th session with 40 sittings was the longest of all, including monsoon sessions. The 110th session held in July 1979 and the 187th session held in October 1999 — also monsoon sessions — had only six sittings each, the shortest duration of all. Of all the 252 sessions so far, the 111th remains the shortest with a single sitting on August 20, 1979. This was on account of the then Prime Minister Charan Singh resigning the same day.
“We have to conclude this session eight sittings ahead of the scheduled 18 sittings as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge humankind across the globe even after nine months of its outbreak,” said Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.
During its 10 sittings, 25 Bills were passed and six introduced. The House registered a productivity of 100.47% in 38 hours and 30 minutes. Three hours and 15 minutes of the House was lost due to disruptions and it sat for an extra three hours and 26 minutes.
“I am happy to inform you that the new normal of high productivity witnessed during the last three sessions has continued during this session as well,” said the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
Twenty-two hours and three minutes was spent on discussing the government’s legislative proposals during these 10 sittings. A total of 198 members participated in the discussion on various Bills.
A total of 1,567 Unstarred Questions were replied to in writing by the government during these 10 sittings. Ninety-two Zero Hour and 66 Special Mentions, on which four hours and 15 minutes was spent, accounted for 10.99% of the total functional time of the House.
The House bid farewell to members from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, namely Chandrapal Singh Yadav, Javed Ali Khan, PL Punia, Ravi Prakash Verma, Rajaram, Ram Gopal Yadav, Veer Singh, Hardeep Singh Puri, Neeraj Shekhar, Arun Singh and Raj Babbar who will retire in November.
At least 10 MPs had tested positive for the coronavirus just before or during the session, more than 20 sought leave of absence, and one sitting MP from Karnataka, Ashok Gasti, passed away due to the infection.
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