15th Lok Sabha perhaps the most disrupted

NEW DELHI: The 15th Lok Sabha will arguably go down in history as the worst in terms of performance as disruptions were the order of the day during much of its existence while the pepper spray incident marked a new low in parliamentary conduct.

The House suffered a washout of almost a whole session on the opposition demand for a JPC in the 2G spectrum scam in the winter of 2010 with proceedings not being allowed. This was unprecedented.

There was also unprecedented uproar on the demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the coal block allocation scam, which scuttled the monsoon session of 2012.

Seeking to corner the government on a clutch of scams, the opposition resorted to disruptions at the drop of a hat with government having no strategy to counter them nor to convince them.

A storm over Telangana led to several unprecedented developments in the last session of the House which had 13 sittings. Even though Speaker Meira Kumar wanted a "grand finale" to the Lok Sabha, it was doubtful whether she could get one.

As many as 16 members from Seemandhra region were suspended ahead of the passage of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization bill that split the state and carved out the 29th state of the Indian Union.

The bill tested the patience of the House, unlike any other issue in recent times. Supporters and opponents of separate Telangana were at loggerheads on the bill at the drop of a hat.

The historic bill creating the 29th state of India was passed in the last week of the last session of the Lok Sabha but after many a controversy, confusion and bitterness.

With the unusual spectacle of ministers from Seemandhra in the Well protesting, Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, was forced to table his interim budget speech last week.

The interim railway budget and the Vote-on-Account were passed without a discussion. Similarly, the interim budget for 2014-15 and the Vote-on-Accont were passed without virtually any discussion this week.