Budget Session concludes as Lok Sabha adjourns sine die. Waqf among 16 bills passed

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday, ending the Budget session that began on January 31.

As soon as the House met at 12 noon after an adjournment over remarks by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla read out his valedictory remarks and adjourned the House sine die – indefinitely until the new session is convened.

Birla said as many as 16 bills were passed during the session and the House productivity was pegged at over 118 per cent.

As he spoke, opposition members were raising slogans against Birla's observation against Gandhi that her claim that the Waqf amendment bill was bulldozed without discussion was unfortunate and against the dignity of the House.

During the session, the government completed its budgetary exercise after the Lok Sabha gave its nod to the demands for grants for the various ministries as well as the Finance Bill.

The budget for Manipur, under central rule, was also cleared.

The Waqf amendment bill, which witnessed a showdown between the government and the Opposition, was passed by Parliament as the two Houses sat for long hours to clear the law.

The session of Parliament commenced on January 31 with President Droupadi Murmu's inaugural address. The first part of the session continued until February 13, and Parliament reconvened on March 10 until today, April 4.

(With agency inputs)