Video curation and edit: Zijah Sherwani
In one of the most unfortunate instances in India’s parliamentary history, what this Winter Session may be remembered for is the record number of suspensions seen in any Lok Sabha since independence.
Between 14-21 December 2023, a record 146 MPs were suspended from both houses of the parliament muting crores of Indians they represent. As 246 questions raised by them were deleted from the records; we curated a round up of some issues opposition MPs raised in the parliament in 2023.
A productivity analysis shows that during the 2023 Winter Session of Parliament, the Lok Sabha functioned for 74 per cent of its scheduled time and the Rajya Sabha for 81 per cent of the same. 10 Bills were introduced and 17 were passed during this period.
Three criminal law bills to replace the IPC, the CrPC, and the Indian Evidence Act have been passed by the Lok Sabha without adequate discussion.
The Telecommunications Bill, 2023, which restructures the regulatory framework of the telecom sector, was passed within three days of introduction. It was discussed for one hour and four minutes in Lok Sabha and one hour and 11 minutes in Rajya Sabha.
The absence of opposition in the passage of bills undermines the institutional integrity of Parliament.
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