Winter Session saw a record suspension of 146 opposition MPs

New Delhi: The Winter Session of Parliament, which commenced on December 4, 2023, and was adjourned sine die on December 21, 2023, would be remembered for serious breach of security and a record suspension of 146 opposition MPs from both Houses. While 100 MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha, those suspended from the Rajya Sabha were 46.

However, the productivity of the Lok Sabha was approximately 74% and that of the Rajya Sabha was approximately 79 %, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs stated here today.

The Session provided 14 sittings spread over a period of 18 days, and a total of 19 Bills were passed by both Houses during this period.

During the Session 12 Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha and 18 Bills were passed by Lok Sabha and 17 Bills were passed by Rajya Sabha. 3 Bills were withdrawn with the leave of Lok Sabha while one Bill was withdrawn with the leave of Rajya Sabha. 

During the Session, the First Batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2023-24 and Demands for Excess Grant for 2020 -21 were discussed and voted in full. The related Appropriation Bills were introduced, discussed and passed by Lok Sabha on December 12, 2023, after a debate of about 05 hours and 40 minutes. Rajya Sabha returned these Bills on December 19, 2023, after a debate of about 22 minutes.

Three landmark Bills relating to the criminal justice system to ensure victim-centric justice namely the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 replacing the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 were passed by both the Houses of Parliament during the Session.

Lists of Bills introduced in Lok Sabha, Bills passed by Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha and Bills passed by both the Houses and Bills withdrawn are attached in Annex.

Some of the major Bills passed by both Houses during the Session are as under:

• The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to repeal the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879 and incorporate the provisions of Section 36 of the Legal Practitioners Act 1879 in the Advocates Act, 1961.
• The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to change the nomenclature of ‘weak and under-privileged classes (social castes) to ‘Other Backward Classes’ in the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004.
• The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to provide nomination of not more than two members, one of whom shall be a woman from the community of Kashmiri migrants and one member from displaced persons from Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
• The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 provides for the establishment of a Central Tribal University in Telangana.
• The Repealing and Amending Bill 2023 seeks to repeal 76 redundant and obsolete laws.
• The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to extend the validity of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011 for a further period of three years from 01.01.2024 to 31.12.2026 thereby providing protection from punitive action to certain forms of unauthorised Developments in Delhi.
• The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 seeks to regulate the appointment, conditions of service and term of office of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, the procedure for transaction of business by the Election Commission and for matters connected therewith.
• The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 seeks to provide for press, registration of periodicals and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
• The Telecommunications Bill, 2023 seeks to amend and consolidate the laws relating to the development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks; assignment of spectrum; and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

In the Rajya Sabha, one Short Duration Discussion under Rule 176, was held on the Economic situation in the country by Trinamool Congress MP, Derek O’Brien,  spanning over 10 hours and 25 minutes.

LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS TRANSACTED DURING THE 14^TH SESSION OF 17^TH LOK SABHA AND 262^ND SESSION OF RAJYA SABHA (WINTER SESSION)

I – BILLS INTRODUCED IN LOK SABHA

1.  The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023
2. The Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2023
3. The Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2023
4. The Bhartiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023
5. The Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023
6. The Bhartiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023
7. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023
8. The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023
9. The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023
10. The Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, 2023
11. The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2023
12. The Telecommunications Bill, 2023

II- BILLS PASSED BY LOK SABHA

1. The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
2. The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
3. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023
4. The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023
5. The Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2023
6. The Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2023
7. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023
8. The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023
9. The Post Office Bill, 2023
10. The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2023
11. The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023
12. The Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, 2023
13. The Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
14. The Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
15. The Bhartiya Sakshya Bill, 2023
16. The Telecommunications Bill, 2023
17. The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023
18. The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023

III – BILLS PASSED/RETURNED BY RAJYA SABHA

1. The Post Office Bill, 2023
2. The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023
3. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023
4. The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023
5. The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023
6. The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023
7. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023
8. The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023
9. The Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2023
10. The Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2023
11. The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2023
12. The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023
13. The Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, 2023
14. The Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
15. The Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
16. The Bhartiya Sakshya Bill, 2023
17. The Telecommunications Bill, 2023

IV – BILLS PASSED BY BOTH THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

1. The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
2. The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
3. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023
4. The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023
5. The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023
6. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023
7. The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023
8. The Post Office Bill, 2023
9. The Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2023
10. The Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2023
11. The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2023
12. The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023
13. The Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, 2023
14. The Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
15. The Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
16. The Bhartiya Sakshya Bill, 2023
17. The Telecommunications Bill, 2023
18. The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023
19. The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023

V – BILLS WITHDRAWN IN LOK SABHA

1. The Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
2. The Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
3. The Bhartiya Sakshya Bill, 2023

VI – BILL WITHDRAWN IN RAJYA SABHA

1. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2008.

– global bihari bureau