Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla convened a meeting with political party leaders and Members of Parliament on Friday, formally marking the end of the Winter Session of Parliament 2025. The gathering, held in the Speaker's chamber at Parliament House, saw the attendance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, and numerous other opposition figures.
Session Ends Amid Continued Protests
Earlier on the final day, the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die. This adjournment took place against the backdrop of ongoing opposition protests concerning the passage of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, commonly referred to as the VB-G RAM G Bill. Prime Minister Modi, who had returned from a three-nation foreign tour just a day prior, was present in the House during the adjournment proceedings.
With this, the 19-day-long Winter Session, which comprised 15 sittings, officially concluded. The session, which began on December 1, was notably productive from a legislative standpoint. The Lok Sabha recorded an impressive productivity rate of 111 per cent, a figure highlighted by Speaker Birla as indicative of strong engagement by the members.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned, Chairman Criticises Disruptions
The Rajya Sabha was also adjourned sine die on the same day. Before the playing of the National Song, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan presented a summary of the legislative and other business undertaken during the session. Radhakrishnan did not mince words in criticising the disruptions that marred some proceedings.
"The conduct of members during the Minister's reply yesterday, which included protesting and tearing of papers, was unbecoming of the House," he stated, referring to incidents from the previous day's session.
Opposition Sustains Protest Beyond Session
The opposition's dissent over the VB-G RAM G Bill did not cease with the sine die adjournment. Parties continued to voice their opposition even after the session ended. Demonstrations were staged outside Parliament, with Trinamool Congress MPs persisting with their protest on the steps near the entrance to the House.
In terms of overall functioning, the Rajya Sabha operated for approximately 92 hours during the Winter Session, achieving a productivity of 121 per cent. A significant volume of work was processed, including:
- 58 starred questions
- 208 Zero Hour submissions
- 87 special mentions
The term "adjournment sine die," a Latin phrase meaning "without a day," signifies that a House is suspended indefinitely without a predetermined date for its next sitting, bringing the parliamentary term to a close.
