Government expressed the hope that Parliament would continue to function effectively with growing demand from the people for the same as evident in recent social media campaigns. Speaking to media persons on the occasion of two years of the Government in office, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu said “After some avoidable disruptions of Parliament and particularly, during the Monsoon and Winter sessions last year, both the Houses have evolved to a new equilibrium i.e balance. Opposition is raising some issues with all the might they can muster but legislative work is going on. I hope this balance will continue to stay in the days ahead”.
Shri Naidu stated that during the last two years, number of sittings of both the Houses, Bills introduced and Bills passed by the Lok Sabha have increased in comparison to that of previous ten years.
Referring to 44 Bills pending in Rajya Sabha, the Minister said that he would like to take up this matter with Chairman of Rajya Sabha and leaders of other parties so that there could be more synchrony in the transaction of legislative business by both the Houses.
Elaborating on improvements over the last two years, Shri Naidu said that 101 Bills were introduced in both the Houses of Parliament i.e 96 in Lok Sabha and 5 in Rajya Sabha. Lok Sabha passed 96 Bills @ 48 per year marking an improvement of 3 Bills per year over the previous ten years. Rajya Sabah cleared 83 Bills @ over 41 per year marking a decline of 4 Bills per year.
Lok Sabha held a total of 149 sittings @ 75 per year while the Upper House held 143 sittings @ 71 marking an increase of 4 sittings per year in both cases over the previous ten years.
“From now on, any disruptions and delaying tactics will invite a price. I am sure all political parties will read the writing on the wall and enable effective functioning of both the Houses of Parliament” said the Minister.
Replying to a question on the feasibility of change of composition of Rajya Sabha and passage of GST Bill, Shri Venkaiah Naidu said “Finance Minister has over the last one year clarified the government’s position on the Bill and the Government has the numbers”.