Year round-up: Parliament productivity in 2021

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• Dec 31, 2021 | moderator

Digital Desk: How well did the ‘Temple of Democracy’ function in the year 2021? Amid sessions being interrupted, MPs being suspended for causing chaos, this year’s winter session in the Parliament has led to regular arguments between the ruling government and its opposition parties.

An analysis on how the parliament functioned throughout 2021 and its productivity shown in numbers:-

While there have been innumerable Bills passed this year, amid deliberations and discussion, some were passed within minutes of their introduction in both the Houses.

Compared to 2020, the Parliament did not work long this year, but it did work longer than previous year.

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Putting the data in figures, 2020 saw the Parliamentarians working for a total of 120 hours in Rajya Sabha while 130 hours in the Lok Sabha. Comparing this to 2021, the Parliament functioned far more, where Lok Sabha members dedicated 190 hours in the Rajya Sabha and 220 hours in the Lok Sabha.

Question hours are disrupted in both houses due to disruptions caused by the opposition while raising important questions. Legislations were though passed even amid the commotion.

The year 2020 saw lesser sitting hours in the Parliament marred by protests and chaos on the floor. 2021 was still a better year with our representatives investing on some fruitful discussion with few important legislations being passed.

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The productivity of Lok Sabha during the winter session saw approximately 77 percent (time dedicated of the total sitting hours) while the Rajya Sabha was nearly 43 per cent. Further, Lok Sabha lost up to 18 hours 48 minutes to disruptions and worked for 83 hours and 12 minutes through the 18 sittings this session.

The Rajya Sabha, on the other hand, conducted business for 45 hours 34 minutes out of a scheduled sitting time of 95 hours and 6 minutes and its longest sitting was for over five hours which is an hour less than the daily scheduled time. More than 19 hours in Lok Sabha and one hour in Rajya Sabha were spent on non-legislative debates during this session.

During this winter session, the question hour saw functioning of Lok Sabha for upto 66 percent of its scheduled time and 26 per cent of questions were answered orally. In Rajya Sabha, Question Hour functioned for 38 per cent of its scheduled time and 21 per cent questions were answered orally.

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Of all this, the Parliament saw the passing of some important legislation such as the repeal of the three Farm Laws, bringing an end to the year-long protest by the farmers at the Delhi borders.