The 17thLok Sabha may end with unique distinction in terms of the number of bills lapsed. Going by the current trend, it could be in low single digit. As the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha approaches on January 31, the number of pending bills was just five.

According to the data provided by the Lok Sabha, these include the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill and the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill.

Even if one of them is not taken up during the budget session, number of bills lapsed will just be five, which is the lowest so far.

According to Parliamentary procedure, subject to the provisions of Articles 109 and 117 of the Constitution with respect to Money Bills and other financial Bills, a Bill may originate in either House (Lok Sabha or House of People and Rajya Sabha or House of States) of Parliament. Subject to the provisions of Articles 108 and 109, a Bill shall not be deemed to have been passed by the Houses of Parliament unless it has been agreed to by both Houses, either without amendment or with such amendments only as are agreed to by both Houses.

Further it has been said that a Bill pending in Parliament shall not lapse by reason of the prorogation of the Houses. A Bill pending in the Council of States which has not been passed by the House of the People shall not lapse on a dissolution of the House of the People.

“A Bill which is pending in the House of the People, or which having been passed by the House of the People is pending in the Council of States, shall subject to the provisions of Article 108, lapse on a dissolution of the House of the People,” the procedure said.  The tenure of 17th Lok Sabha is ending on June 16.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha bulletin is likely to give details of the legislative business to be taken up during the Budget Session. However, senior government officials said that apart from bills related with the interim budget (mainly Finance Bill and Appropriation Bill), no significant legislative business is expected to be taken up. “At the best you can expect one or two important bills,” a senior official said.

The government, however, has been criticised for completing the legislative business without much debate. The government maintains that it is the opposition which has not been very forthcoming to take part in the debate. However, the opposition blamed that government has always been avoided replying on critical issues such as favour to one particular industrial group, price rise and unemployment beside others. Also, 146 opposition MPs in both houses suspended during the winter session and the government pushed three key legislation (Bhartiye Nyay Sahinta, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bhartiye Sakshya Sankhita) without any meaningful debate.

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