Lok Sabha Winter Session: Lower House Adjourned Sine Die; 12 Bills Passed Including 'Triple Talaq'

New Delhi, January 5:  The Lok Sabha was on Friday adjourned sine die, bringing to an end the short Winter Session during which the House passed 12 bills, including the 'triple talaq' legislation that seeks to criminalise instant divorce in the Muslim community. Announcing the adjournment, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the session, which commenced on December 15, had 13 sittings spread over 61 hours and 48 minutes. The House lost about 15 hours due to disruptions and adjournments.

Important bills passed during the session included the central road fund (amendment) bill, the requisitioning and acquisition of immovable property bill, the national capital territory of Delhi laws (special provisions) second (amendment) bill and the goods and services tax (compensation to states) amendment bill.

A bill to hike the salary of high court and Supreme Court judges was also passed. The Speaker said 16 bills were introduced by the government in the session. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House as she announced its adjournment after briefing members on the proceedings during the winter session.

The discussion on supplementary demands for grants, second and third batch for 2017-18, lasted for more than six hours before the demands were voted and the related appropriation bills passed, she said. "In this session, while we lost over 14 hours and 51 minutes of time due to interruptions followed by forced adjournments, the House also sat late for 8 hours and 10 minutes to discuss various important issues," she said.

During the session, 280 starred questions were listed, of which 45 questions were answered orally. Written replies to the remaining starred questions along with 3220 unstarred questions were tabled, she said. About 198 matters of urgent public importance were raised by the members and by sitting late in the evening, while the members also raised 226 matters under rule 377, she said. Standing committees presented 41 Reports to the House.

The Lok Sabha held a short duration discussion under rule 193 regarding natural calamities in various part of the country, with special reference to cyclone Ockhi in South India. The discussion was concluded with the reply by Home Minister, she said. During the session, as many as 2255 papers were tabled by the ministers concerned, she said, adding that 98 Private Members' bills on different subjects were also introduced.