New Delhi: Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die on Monday, 11 days ahead of the schedule, in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak. While the Lok Sabha was adjourned after the passage of Finance Bill, 2020, the Upper House was adjourned after the Finance Bill and the Appropriation Bills were returned to the Lower House by a voice-vote, without discussion.
Before adjourning the House, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said during this session, in a total of 23 sittings of the House, 16 Government Bills were laid on the table of the House and 13 passed. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that over 38 hours were lost during the session due to disruptions.
However, the House stayed late on nine days, to make up for the lost hours. There were late sittings in the Lok Sabha and the House worked for extra 21 hours and 41 minutes and a total of 109 hours and 23 minutes. The Budget was discussed for 11 hours and 51 minutes.
There was a discussion of five hours and 21 minutes on the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, while the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Tourism was discussed for four hours and one minute. He said the Lok Sabha on March 16 guillotined the Outstanding Demands for Grants of the Union Budget 2020-21 and also passed the Appropriation Bill, 2020.
Birla said the ‘state of law and order situation in some parts of Delhi’ was discussed in the House for more than four hours and the ministers replied to the discussion.
The ministers made 16 statements during the session. He said the Members raised 436 issues of urgent public importance and under Rule 377, 399 Members spoke. A total of 1,765 papers were tabled in the House.
The Bill to give effect to the financial proposals of the central government for the financial year 2020-21 was passed in the Lok Sabha, without any discussion.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman moved the Finance Bill, 2020 for consideration and passing. Birla said the floor leaders of all political parties have agreed to pass the Bill without discussion. The decision to pass the Bill was taken in view of the emerging situation and lockdown, to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The House passed the Finance Bill with voice vote, after passing the amendments made by the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present in the House.
In the Rajya Sabha after the valedictory address, the chairman adjourned the House. (UNI)
