Lok Sabha will be convened on Sunday, warns Om Birla amid House disruptions

The Winter Session of Parliament, which began on Nov 25 and is set to continue until Dec 20, has faced significant disruptions due to Opposition protests

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla warned Members of Parliament (MPs) that continued disruptions in the House could lead to weekend sessions to compensate for the loss of time. The warning comes after a week of frequent adjournments due to protests by Opposition members over various issues, including the Adani controversy and violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal.

 

Parliamentary proceedings have been disrupted repeatedly since the Winter Session began on November 25, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourning on Monday after multiple protests. 

Oppn and govt reach agreement

 

An agreement was reached on Monday between the government and Opposition to resolve the week-long impasse. The discussion on the Constitution, marking its 75th year of adoption, has been scheduled for December 13 and 14 in the Lok Sabha, and December 16 and 17 in the Rajya Sabha.

 

 

Birla emphasised the importance of adhering to the schedule and maintaining order.

 

“If you continue with adjournments, the House will convene on Saturdays and Sundays to make up for lost time,” he warned during the session. 

Opposition protests and walkouts

 

The Lok Sabha proceedings last week were largely disrupted due to opposition protests demanding debates on the Adani controversy, Sambhal violence, and other pressing matters.

 

Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain, however, accused the government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of stalling discussions whenever opposition members raise issues related to the Adani Group or propose a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the matter.

 

“We want discussions on several matters - JPC on the Adani issue, the Sambhal and Ajmer incidents, the Bangladesh issue, and the situation in Manipur. But the government avoids these by adjourning the moment Adani’s name is mentioned,” Hussain told ANI on Tuesday.

 

Rajya Sabha resumes work

 

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha resumed normal functioning on Tuesday after days of interruptions. Members used Zero Hour and Question Hour to raise issues of public interest.

 

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar revealed that he had received 42 adjournment notices under Rule 267, the highest in over 25 years. None of these notices were accepted. Opposition members had sought debates on topics such as allegations of corruption against the Adani Group and the violence in Sambhal.

 

The Winter Session began on November 25 and is set to continue until December 20.