Datanomics: Fewer sittings, but no decline in average Bills passed

A day after  the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 18 sharply criticised the Opposition  for committing “foeticide” of women’s representation. 

 

Historical data shows that 4,070 Bills were passed by both Houses across 12,395 sittings during 1952-2025. Of the 131 Constitutional Amendment Bills introduced in Parliament, 25 failed to be enacted. The share of total Bills enacted out of those introduced was 56 per cent during the 15th Lok Sabha, increasing to 92 per cent during the 17th Lok Sabha.

 

Peaks and ebbs

 

The number of Constitutional Amendment Bills passed was five in the 1st Lok Sabha, which rose to 18 in the 5th Lok Sabha (part of which was the Emergency), then declined to 5 in the 14th, and to 4 in each of the last three Lok Sabhas. 

 

Regional parties tend to raise more questions

 

Among parties with the highest representation in the 17th Lok Sabha, the Shiv Sena, DMK and YSRCP raised the highest number of questions on average. 

 

Report card

 

The number of parliamentary sittings has declined over time, but the average number of Bills passed per sitting has remained steady.