The Winter Session of Parliament started on December 15 and had 13 sittings. Express photo by Renuka Puri
The Triple Talaq Bill failed to make any headway in the Rajya Sabha in the Winter Session of Parliament that drew to a close today. The bill has now been pushed to the Budget Session that begins January 29. The Triple Talaq Bill or The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill seeks to outlaw talaq-e-biddat or instant triple talaq and punish offenders with a jail term.
The bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha through a voice vote but could not be passed in the Upper House due to a deadlock over the Opposition’s demand seeking its reference to a Select Committee for close scrutiny.
Earlier in the day, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar blamed the Congress for stalling the crucial legislation and alleged that the opposition came up with a new excuse everyday to defer its passage.
On the possibility of bringing in an ordinance till the bill gets cleared, Kumar said, “The dates for the budget session have already been announced. We hope the Congress will understand the public opinion on the issue, reconsider their stand and pass it in the budget session. There is anger among people on this issue.”
On Thursday, the government rejected the Opposition’s demanded that before any other legislative business, the House first take up an amendment for referring the bill to a select committee. The bill that was cleared by a voice vote in Lok Sabha on December 28 and was stuck in the Rajya Sabha.
As both the houses were adjourned sine die, Kumar said the productivity of the Lok Sabha was recorded at 91.58 per cent while that of Rajya Sabha was 56.29 per cent.
During the session, 17 bills were introduced and 12 bills were passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. “In a way this session was landmark… 13 bills were passed in the Lok Sabha and nine in the Rajya Sabha during the
13 working days of the Winter Session,” Kumar added.
The union minister added he was grateful to all the parties and all members of both the houses for making this session fruitful.
On the concluding day of the Winter Session, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said that although the upper House could transact some meaningful business, it “could be better than what it proved to be”.
“On the concluding day of this winter session, it is an opportunity for all of us to review, recall and introspect how all of us have conducted the proceedings of the House. It is a matter of deep discomfort that the House lost 34 hours of valuable working time as against 41 hours of business transacted,” he said.
The Winter Session of Parliament, which started on December 15, had 13 sittings spread over a period of 22 days.
With Inputs from Agencies
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