• Parliament was adjourned sine die on December 20, capping off a tumultuous session that saw a robust debate on the country’s constitutional journey and the introduction of two landmark bills on simultaneous elections.

• The Winter Session commenced on November 25. The Session provided 20 sittings of Lok Sabha and 19 sittings of Rajya Sabha spreading over 26 days.

• The productivity of Lok Sabha was approximately 54.5 per cent and that of Rajya Sabha was 40 per cent.

• During the Session, five Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha, which passed four of them. 

• The Rajya Sabha passed three Bills. 

• The highlight of the Session’s legislative agenda was two landmark Bills — the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth) Amendment Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill — to give effect to the mechanism of simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and assemblies. It was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 and was referred to a 39-member Joint Committee of Parliament.

• One Bill — The Bhartiya Vayuyaan Vidheyak, 2024 — was passed by both the Houses during the Session. The Bill seeks to re-enact the Aircraft Act to address the ambiguity owing to insertions/omissions/deletions effected by amendments to the Aircraft Act, 1934 from time to time.

• A special session was also held to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the country’s Constitution on November 26.

• A special discussion on the ‘Glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India’ was organised in the Lok Sabha on December 13 and 14  and in the Rajya Sabha on December 16 and 17.

• Opposition parties submitted a notice to move a motion of no-confidence against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, but it was dismissed by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who slammed it as an act of impropriety, being severely flawed and drawn in haste to mar the Chairperson’s reputation.

• At least 60 opposition members had signed the notice on December 10 for removal of Dhankhar from his post, alleging he was “biased” and they did not have trust in him.

What are the Sessions of Parliament?

• A Session is the period of time between the meeting of a Parliament and its prorogation. During the course of a Session, either House may adjourn to such date as it pleases. 

Normally three Sessions are held in a year: 

(1) Budget Session -  January & February and March & April.

The Budget Session is divided into two parts. It has a break to enable department-related committees to consider and report on demands for grants of the various ministries.

(2) Monsoon Session - July, August and September.

(3) Winter Session -  November and December.

• The period between the prorogation of Parliament and its reassembly in a new Session is termed as a ‘recess’.

• ‘Adjournment’ is a short break of a few hours or days and then the House resumes its sitting. 

• If the adjournment is done without any time scale, it is known as ‘adjournment sine die’.

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