Parliament Highlights: Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die, 25 Bills passed over curtailed Monsoon Session

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die after its 10th sitting on Wednesday, eight short of the originally 18 sittings planned till October 1 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

The House passed three labour codes, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, and the Code on Social Security, 2020 today, along with passing the Bilateral Netting of Qualified Financial Contracts Bill, 2020, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020.

Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said that a total of 6 bills have been introduced while 25 bills have been passed and 1,567 unstarred questions have been replied to by the government in writing in the 10 sittings so far.

He also did not grant the request of Opposition leaders to not pass the three labour codes as they continued to protest against the farm bills and the suspension of MPs.

MoS for MEA and Parliamentary Affairs, V Muraleedharan had confirmed that the government had decided to recommend adjournment of the House sine die today.

Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Singh broke his one-day fast. He announced his fast as he was “anguished over opposition’s attacks in the House” during the passage of the two farm bills on Sunday.

In one of the most productive days in its history, Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed seven key bills, including the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, that removes cereals, pulses and onion from the essential commodities list.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha passed three labour code bills including the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code 2020 and the Code on Social Security Bill, 2020.