15th Lok Sabha(2009-14) 'most unproductive'

The present Lok Sabha could end up as the least productive in terms of business transacted among those that completed their full 5-year terms.

According to statistics compiled by the Lok Sabha secretariat, 1,157 hours of sittings had taken place until the 12th session of the 15th Lok Sabha, which was elected in May 2009

Among the Houses that completed five-year terms, the 14th Lok Sabha has the worst record so far as it clocked just 1,737 hours of sittings. But even that could be beyond the present Lok Sabha, which will have to manage almost 600 hours of sittings in less than a year if it is to overtake its immediate predecessor.

Some Houses, like the 9th, 11th and 12th Lok Sabhas, did manage far fewer than 1,737 hours. But none of them completed their full terms. While the 9th Lok Sabha clocked 754 hours, it also had a life of barely two years (1989-91). Similarly, the 11th Lok Sabha clocked 814 hours in 1996-1997 and the 12th 575 hours in 1998-1999. Interestingly, the 6th Lok Sabha managed 1,753 hours of sittings even though it lasted just two years (1977-1979).

The current Lok Sabha's failure to transact any business since the resumption of the budget session on April 22 deepens a worrying trend that has seen an acrimonious House losing over half an hour to disruptions and adjournments for every hour of business transacted by it.



According to data maintained by the Lok Sabha secretariat, as many as 634 hours were lost on account of interruptions and adjournments until the 12th session of the 15th Lok Sabha, totalling more than 50% of 1,157 hours of sittings of the House.

The budget session of 2011 recorded maximum disruptions, resulting in loss of nearly 70 hours, the 2012 budget session saw 48 hours being lost to adjournments, while the figure for 2010 was just 25 hours.