Least productive Lok Sabha session since 2010;second least in 17 years

NEW DELHI: BJP veteran LK Advani’s exasperation over non-functioning of Parliament does not seem to be misplaced. Productivity statistics of Parliament reveal that the winter session will be the second-least productive session in 17 years.

The session that concludes on Friday, will finish a close second to the winter session in 2010, when the Opposition’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the 2G spectrum allocation scam stalled functioning of Parliament.

According to statistics collated by PRS Legislative Research, during winter session 2010, the productivity of the Lok Sabha was 6% and Rajya Sabha 2%. The Rajya Sabha, where the Opposition has majority, has a better productivity at 19%, whereas the Lok Sabha has only a 15% productivity this session.

The productivity is calculated as actual hours of sitting as percentage of available hours. Both the Houses reported their least productive question hour in the 16th Lok Sabha. As per the statistics, 95% of the planned business could not be transacted.

For the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, this has been the worst session since it assumed power in May 2014. The session has come as a shock for government managers after managing a smooth budget session with record-high productivity.

The government had managed to transact more business than planned. The Lok Sabha reported 122% productivity and the Rajya Sabha 101% as members decided to either forego lunch hour or sit beyond the designated working hour of 6 pm.

So far, the government has managed to weather many political storms, including the AgustaWestland deal and Lalit-Gate when the Opposition demanded the resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s over her help to the former IPL commissioner in getting travel documents.

In the last monsoon session, when the government faced flak over the AgustaWestland defence deal, Lok Sabha reported 101% productivity and Rajya Sabha 96%.

Over the last few years, the Upper House has reported lower productivity due to more frequent disruptions and adjournments as the government has been in a minority in the House of Elders.