Over 90 percent of extended winter session disrupted

Over 90 percent time of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the extended winter session of parliament was lost due to disruptions, according to a think tank.

PRS Legislative Research, which tracks functioning of the parliament, said the 15th Lok Sabha has been the least productive of the houses constituted over the past five decades.

The extended winter session of parliament, presumably the last session before the Lok Sabha polls, began Feb 5 and has had six sittings so far.

The think tank said the Lok Sabha lost 95 percent time and the Rajya Sabha 92 percent time to disruptions.

Both the houses have seen repeated adjournments over protests by members from the Seemandhra region over the decision to carve a separate state of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh.

PRS Legislative Research said in terms of productivity of different Lok Sabhas starting from the third Lok Sabha (1962-67) to the present one, the seventh Lok Sabha (1980-84) was the most productive.

The ongoing 15th Lok Sabha (2009-14) has been the least productive, it said.