New Delhi: The Lok Sabha's budget session was adjourned sine die on Friday, following the passage of the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill of 2025 the previous day. The House is scheduled to reconvene during the Monsoon session of Parliament, with the specific dates yet to be announced.
The Rajya Sabha has also been adjourned until 1:00 PM on Friday.
Speaker Om Birla noted that the lower house of Parliament held 26 sittings since the session began on January 31.
"We have reached the conclusion of the fourth session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which commenced on January 31, 2025. This session included 26 sittings, achieving a total attendance of approximately 118 percent," Birla stated during his closing remarks to the lower house.
Throughout the session, 10 government bills were introduced, and 16 bills were passed, including the Waqf Amendment Bill and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill.
The Lok Sabha Speaker mentioned that 173 Honourable Members took part in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, while 169 members engaged in the discussion on the Union Budget.
On Thursday, a record 202 members raised issues of public significance during Zero Hour, marking the highest number of matters addressed in a single day in any Lok Sabha.
I would like to express my gratitude to my colleagues at the Chair's Table, the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs, the Leader of the Opposition, party leaders, Members, the Secretary General, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, and the officers and staff of the Secretariat and associated agencies for their support in facilitating the House's proceedings, Birla stated.
Rijiju announced that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 will be renamed the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development) Bill.
In the meantime, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Union government on Friday following the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025, claiming that the government had adopted a "negative stance."
"It is their interpretation; we presented our views on the bill to them (the government). They have taken a negative stance and are proceeding with it," Kharge told reporters. The Lok Sabha, which debated the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday, approved it shortly after midnight following an extensive discussion.
The government presented the revised bill after integrating the suggestions from the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which reviewed the legislation first introduced in August of the previous year. This bill aims to amend the 1995 Act to enhance the administration and management of waqf properties in India.
The legislation seeks to address the deficiencies of the earlier act and improve the efficiency of Waqf boards by streamlining the registration process and increasing the use of technology in managing waqf records.
The Budget Session of Parliament was held in two segments; it began on January 31 and concluded on February 13. The second segment of the budget session commenced on March 10.
