New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday, two days before the scheduled culmination of the session during which the budgetary exercise was the highlight.
The Rajya Sabha would follow suit today. Reports say that the Upper House would have wrapped up the session along with the Lok Sabha but it will have to sit a day longer due to the impending retirement of 58 members, who all needed time to make their customary valedictory speeches.
Shortly after Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh's reply to the discussion on the situation arising out of drought and water scarcity in the country, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House sine die.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not present when the Lower House called it a day because of his preoccupation with election campaign in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
It is believed that the government opted for early conclusion o the session because there was hardly and business left after the passage of the Finance Bill. They claimed that all parties were on board over the matter.
Adjourning the session, Mahajan thanked the members for the cooperation extended to the chair for the smooth conduct of the House.
Listing the important agenda carried out by the Lower House of Parliament, she said besides a number of bills and other legislative business even 33 private members bills on various subjects of good governance were introduced in the house.
Discussion on a private member resolution on provident fund was also carried out, she said.
The House also passed the Uttarakhand budget, she said. "This is the first session that the House was not adjourned even for a single day for interruptions," Mahajan said.
10 bills, including the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and the Anti-Hijacking Bill, were passed during the three-week session which saw no adjournment due to disruptions.
The Eighth Session of the 16th Lok Sabha, which commenced on April 25, had 13 sittings spread over 92 hours and 21 minutes.
