Parliament Review: Discussion on Motion of Thanks to President’s Address, and Interim Budget Dominate the last Session of 17th Lok Sabha
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 12, 2024
The last session of the 17th Lok Sabha had 9 sittings during which there was discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, interim budget for 2024-25, the white paper on finance released by the government and various other issues.
The Fifteenth and the last session of the Seventeenth Lok Sabha commenced on 31 January 2024 with the President addressing both Houses of Parliament and ended on 10February 2024 (initially till 9February, extended by a day). Some key agenda items that were up for discussion in this session included deliberations and voting on the Interim Union Budget for 2024-25 and the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address to Parliament. Additionally, discussions and votes were taken up for the Interim Budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for 2024-25.
Key Statistical Highlights of the Seventeenth Lok Sabha
Business schedule of this session
A total of 9 sittings (8 initially) were planned in the fifteenth session of this Lok Sabha. In the legislative business, a total of three bills are taken up for consideration and passing by the Lok Sabha. Below is the list.
Key Developments
The session started with the President’s address to both Houses of the Parliament on 31 January 2024. A total of two days (2 and 5 February) had been allocated for the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in Lok Sabha.
It was followed by the introduction of a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government of India for the year 2024-25, along with the Medium-term Fiscal Policy cum Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement and Macro-economic Framework Statement as per the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM Act), 2003 in the Lok Sabha on 1 February 2024. The Finance Bill, 2024 was also introduced on the same day.
On 5 February 2024, a statement of estimated receipts and expenditure and Supplementary Demands for Grants of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the year 2024-25 was laid in both houses. On the same day, The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 and The Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 were introduced in the Lower house. These two bills were passed in the Lower House on the following day and were passed in the Upper House on 9 February 2024.
In the Rajya Sabha, three bills were introduced on 5 February 2024: The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill, 2024. These three bills were passed in the Upper House on the following day (6February) and were introduced and passed in the Lower House on 8 February 2024.
Discussion on the interim budget 2024-25 took place in both houses on 7 February, and the day ended with the passage of the Appropriation Bill 2024, The Finance Bill 2024, and The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2024 in the Lower House.
Interestingly, on 09 February, the Finance Minister introduced a ‘White paper on the Indian Economy and its impact on lives of the people of India’ in the Lower House. On the last day of the session, a discussion on the construction of Shri Ram Temple and Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ram was initiated in both houses of the Parliament. Post discussion, both houses are adjourned sine die.
Important Standing Committee Reports:
This budget session saw some important Standing Committee Reports being tabled in the Parliament. Apart from the action taken reports by various ministries on the previous committee reports, this session saw reports on interesting topics. Some of them are below.
Some important matters raised under Rule 377
Important Questions