Parliament Functioning in Winter Session 2024

Parliament functioned for about half of its scheduled time

Lok Sabha

Rajya Sabha

• Lok Sabha functioned for 52% of its scheduled time and Rajya Sabha functioned for 39% its scheduled time.  In the first week, both Houses functioned for less than 10% of the scheduled time.  Lok Sabha sat an extra day on a Saturday to discuss the working of the Constitution.

Notices given for removal of the Vice President and a High Court Judge

• A notice to move a motion for removal of the Vice-President (Rajya Sabha Chairman) was submitted on December 10, 2024.  This is the first such motion against the Vice President.  This notice was rejected by the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha on procedural grounds.

• 55 members of Rajya Sabha filed a notice to initiate proceedings for impeachment of an Allahabad High Court Judge.

Resolutions for removal of Lok Sabha Speaker

Motions for impeachment of judges in Parliament

One Bill passed in the first six months of the term; lowest in the last six Lok Sabha terms

• Four Bills were introduced in this session.  Two of these provide for simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. One Bill, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024, was passed.  Five Bills were passed by one House and are pending in the other.

• During the 18^th Lok Sabha, 15 Bills have been introduced, and three have been referred to Committees. Four Bills introduced retain most provisions of the Acts they seek to replace.

Note: This excludes Finance and Appropriation Bills.              

Functioning of Question Hour significantly affected

Note: BS - Budget Session, MS - Monsoon Session, WS - Winter Session.  Question Hour was not held during MS 2020 due to COVID-19.

• In this session, Question Hour did not function in Rajya Sabha for 15 out of 19 days.  In Lok Sabha, Question Hour did not function for more than 10 minutes on 12 out of 20 days.  

Constitution discussed for 16 hours in Lok Sabha; no adjournment motions taken up

• The Constitution was discussed for 16 hours in Lok Sabha and 17 hours in Rajya Sabha. However, no half-an-hour or short duration discussions were held.  These discussions require Ministers to respond to issues raised by members. 
• While several notices for adjournment motions were received in Lok Sabha, none of them were accepted.  In Rajya Sabha, several notices were filed under Rule 267. None of these were accepted or discussed.  These devices allow scheduled House business to be set aside to discuss matters of urgent importance.

Note: * indicates a term less than five years; ** indicates a six-year term. Data for 18^th Lok Sabha till December 20, 2024. 

No private members’ business in Lok Sabha; one resolution discussed in Rajya Sabha

• Every Friday afternoon, two and a half hours are reserved for private members’ (MPs who are not Ministers) Bills and resolutions.  
• In Lok Sabha, two Fridays were lost to disruptions and one was spent on the discussion on the Constitution.  In Rajya Sabha, private members’ resolutions were discussed only on one Friday.  Both Houses adjourned early on the last Friday.  Consequently, no private members’ business was discussed in Lok Sabha, and one resolution was discussed in Rajya Sabha.

No Deputy Speaker since 2019

• The 18^th Lok Sabha has not yet elected a Deputy Speaker.  The 17^th Lok Sabha did not elect a Deputy Speaker for its entire term.  The Constitution requires Lok Sabha to choose a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker as soon as possible.
• In February 2023, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to the central government to respond to a public interest litigation regarding the delay in the election of the Deputy Speaker.

Sources: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Lists of Business, Bulletins, and Resumes; Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha; Statistical Statement 2023, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; Practice and Procedure of Parliament, MN Kaul and SL Shakdher, Lok Sabha Secretariat, 2016; News reports; PRS.