Rajya Sabha session ends, 19 hours lost due to disruptions

The session of Rajya Sabha came to an end on Friday after passing 12 bills and wasting 19 hours due to disruptions over various issues like imposition of President's rule in Uttarakhand and AgustaWestland helicopter deal controversy.

The session, which began on April 25, was adjourned sine die after bidding farewell to 53 retiring members on the last day.

In his valedictory address, Chairman Hamid Ansari said the session was "short and challenging" and that the members had "shown an extraordinary ability to debate and dissent, to accommodate and differ amidst their political compulsions and ideological positions".

He said 12 bills were passed or returned, which demonstrated the desirability of careful deliberation through available instrumentalities and the benefits accruing from it.

The major legislations approved included the Finance Bill and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Bill. However, the GST bill, which is facing stiff resistance from the opposition Congress, remained pending and was not even listed during the session.

"Notwithstanding the fact that a good amount of both legislative and non-legislative work was transacted, the proceedings of the House were occasionally disrupted," he said.

The House of Elders met for 69 hours but more than 19 hours were lost due to disruptions over issues like political crisis in Uttarakhand, allegations of bribery and corruption in AgustaWestland chopper seal, alleged lynching of Muslims in Jharkhand, anomalies and irregularities pointed out in the CAG report in KG Basin gas project of Gujarat state petroleum corporation among others.

Issues relating to train carrying empty tankers sent by the government to drought-hit Bundelkhand and reported remarks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against leaders of United Progressive Alliance in the AgustaWestland deal at an election rally in Tamil Nadu also led to disruptions.

The House, however, sat late for more than 10 hours to complete legislative and other important business.

While the session of Lok Sabha was brought to an end two days back, Rajya Sabha stuck to its schedule of on Friday.