Finance
The curtains fell on the 18th Lok Sabha on Thursday as Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House sine die, bringing an end to a session marked by legislative productivity on paper but marred by persistent disruptions and vocal protests from the Opposition over the special intensive revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls.
Elections for the state’s Assembly are planned for November of this year.
At 12:04 p.m., Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh showed up to take part in the closing ceremonies.
Speaker Om Birla had serious concerns about some members’ behavior in his parting remarks, pointing to the use of placards and slogans that were written in an unparliamentary manner.
Meanwhile, members continued to shout “Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod”, in clear violation of parliamentary decorum.
“Our conduct is being watched by the entire nation,” Speaker Birla declared, urging all members to uphold the dignity of the House and preserve the values of the world’s largest democracy.
He informed the House that, as agreed in the Business Advisory Committee meeting, 120 hours had been allocated for discussion.
However, due to repeated and coordinated disruptions by Opposition members, only 37 hours were utilised.
Speaker Birla noted that 419 starred questions had been submitted, yet only 55 were answered.
“This is not just a procedural failure. It is a breach of public trust,” he said.
He said the people of India expect accountability, not slogans.
Over the course of the session, 12 of the 14 legislation that were introduced were passed, including the National Sports Governance Bill, the Income Tax Bill, and the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill. Bill to Regulate Online Gaming.
Nonetheless, the Joint Parliamentary Committee was tasked with reviewing the Constitution Bill’s 130th Amendment.
Throughout the session, there were numerous walkouts and halted proceedings due to the opposition’s insistence that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) look into the amendments to the Bihar electoral roll and other matters.
There were several proud and forward-thinking moments during the session.
Prime Minister Modi spoke to the House on July 28 and 29 at a special session on Operation Sindoor, India’s strategic military response to the Pahalgam terror assault.
The operation strengthened India’s defense posture and was praised as a well-coordinated and determined counterterrorism effort.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s space mission, which signified India’s return to the International Space Station, was also hailed in the House.
The accomplishment was further hailed by Speaker Birla, who described it as “a testament to India’s scientific excellence and global leadership.”
Despite these positives, the Speaker’s tone became harsh when he spoke about other members’ behavior.
“Slogans and placards, and unparliamentary language are not merely violations of decorum – they are insults to the democratic spirit,” he said.
However, members of the Opposition paid no heed to even his valedictory remarks and kept on shouting slogans like “Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod”, with more intensity.
Speaker Birla emphasised that the House is not a platform for theatrics but a sacred space for policy and debate.
“Our conduct is being watched by the entire nation. We must rise to the expectations of the people,” he said/
His appeals to the Opposition to restore order were ignored, and the disruptions continued until the final moments.
Earlier, he authorized a brief business meeting, including the presentation of various committee findings. Kalyan Vaijinathrao Kale submitted reports from the Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers, but he refused to consider any of the several adjournment notices that were received on Thursday.
Reports from the 2024–2025 Social Justice and Empowerment Committee were turned in by Gajendra Singh Patel.
Departmental papers were presented to the House by ministers from important ministries, such as Home Affairs (Nityanand Rai), Environment (Kirtivardhan Singh), Ports and Shipping (Shantanu Thakur), Road Transport (Ajay Tamta), Education (Sukanta Majumdar), and Civil Aviation (Murlidhar Mohol).
Speaker Birla urged future Lok Sabha sessions to recommit to the values of thoughtfulness, dignity, and democratic duty before adjourning the House sine die. She also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all members who contributed constructively.
The nation now anticipates the Bihar Assembly elections as the 18th Lok Sabha’s Monsoon session draws to a conclusion, hoping that the upcoming chapter will restore the efficacy and integrity of parliamentary procedures.
Source: IANS
