New Delhi: The term of the 16th Lok Sabha is coming to an end. Contrary to popular perception due to constant disruptions of proceedings, the productivity of the Lok Sabha during BJP rule was way above UPA II but slightly lower than the UPA I tenures.
According to data for the entire 16th Lok Sabha session (barring the last few days) shared with IANS by PRS Legislative Research, the productivity of the current Lok Sabha stands at 83 per cent (till February 6), way above the 63 per cent in UPA II and slightly less than 87 per cent in UPA I.
The Lok Sabha passed 156 bills while 118 were cleared by the Rajya Sabha. The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) bill 2014 consumed the most – almost 12 hours of discussion spread over two sessions — time before it was passed.
The Lok Sabha still has 46 bills pending while 33 are languishing in the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha held 327 sittings and the Rajya Sabha met for two days less. The second longest discussion of around 10 hours took place on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
The 14th session of the 16th Lok Sabha from February to April 2018 was the most disruptive, losing 127 hours and 45 minutes, according to the Lok Sabha Secretariat. The least disruptive was the first session — it lost only 16 minutes to din.
Some other key points – 100 per cent attendance: First time MPs Bhairon Prasad Mishra (BJP) from Banda in Uttar Pradesh, Gopal Chinnaiya Shetty (BJP) from Mumbai North, Kulamani Samal (BJD) from Jagatsingpur in Odisha and Ramesh Chander Kaushik (BJP) from Sonepat in Haryana had 100 per cent attendance till February 6, 2019 from June 1, 2014.
MPs who asked most questions: Maharashtra MPs raised most queries, with Supriya Sule from Baramati and her NCP colleague Vijay Singh Shankarrao Mohite seeking answers to more than 1,100 questions. At least five Shiv Sena MPs — Anandrao Adsul, Gajanan Chandrakant Kiritikar, Anandrao Adsul, Shivaji Adhirao Patil and Shrirang Appa Barne — asked more than 1,000 questions.
From the Congress, Rajeev Shankar Rao Satav, first time MP, asked 1,105 questions. Outside Maharashtra, Dharmender Yadav of Samajwadi Party, an MP from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, is among the leaders who asked most questions (1,015).
Rahul Gandhi in Parliament: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who has been combative against the Modi government, has 52 per cent attendance. He took part in 14 debates and asked no questions, nor did he bring any private member legislation. Most Private Members Bills: Nishikant Dubey, a BJP MP from Jharkhand, brought in 48 private member bills. Gopal Chinayya Shetty of BJP, who too has 100 per cent attendance, introduced 32.