Parliament Watch: What happened in the 264th Session of the Rajya Sabha?

Associated with the MIT School of Government, MIT World Peace University, Pune as a Senior Research Associate.

The 264th session of the Rajya Sabha commenced on 27 June 2024 and concluded on 3 July 2024. In Part 1 of this blog, we visited the proceedings of the 1st session of the Lok Sabha. This blog takes stock of the Rajya Sabha proceedings during the session, highlighting key events, and legislative activities.

How did the actual proceedings go?

On 27 June 2024, President Droupadi Murmu addressed the joint sitting of Parliament, touching on several key issues. She highlighted the government’s approach to arrest the incidents of paper leaks, the economic progress of the country despite the interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the increased renewable energy capacities, and growth in MSMEs alongside infrastructure development, and advancements in ports, logistics, roads, and railways. The President also discussed government initiatives in the North Eastern States, modernization of the armed forces, and digital advancements in education.

Additionally, the President also made passing reference to the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, and the granting of citizenship to refugees under the Citizenship Amendment Act.

On the same day, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha welcomed 61 newly elected or nominated members to the House. Additionally, the suspension of Sanjay Singh, who had been suspended from the service of the House on 24 July 2023, was revoked. In the afternoon, the Prime Minister introduced 30 Ministers in his Cabinet, along with 5 Ministers of State (Independent Charge) and 36 Ministers of State to the Rajya Sabha. Before adjourning for the day, the House also nominated 8 members to the panel of Vice- Chairpersons.

On 28 June 2024, following the nomination of members, a motion of thanks was introduced to discuss the President’s Address. This motion was moved by Sudhanshu Trivedi and the discussion extended over the next three days, continuing on 1, 2, and 3 July 2024. A total of 56 members participated in the debate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to the discussion before the House moved to vote and adopt the motion.

House in Numbers:

During the session, the House experienced several interruptions, which were highlighted by the Chairman, who urged members to maintain decorum. Despite these disruptions, the Rajya Sabha achieved 101% productivity. The House sat for a total of 24 hours and 30 minutes, dedicating the entire duration to non-legislative activities. After concluding the discussion on the motion of thanks, the House adjourned sine die on 3 July 2024.

Overall, the Rajya Sabha demonstrated a commendable level of productivity and engagement, despite interruptions. The active participation of members and the successful adoption of the motion of thanks reflect the House’s commitment to its democratic responsibilities.