Monsoon Session sees Parliament's lowest productivity since 2016, yet 11 Bills passed

The Monsoon Session of Parliament concluded on August 13, 2026, with both Houses recording sharp drops in productivity due to repeated disruptions. According to PRS Legislative Research, the Lok Sabha's productivity stood at 15% — matching its lowest-ever level, last seen during the Winter Session of 2016. The Rajya Sabha fared slightly better at 33%, but this was its lowest since the Budget Session of 2023.

The disruptions were prompted by Opposition protests over several issues, including the NEET paper leak, alleged theft of donations to the Ram Temple, and the absence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Parliament. These interruptions reduced the time available for legislative business and question hour.

Despite the low productivity, a total of 11 Bills were passed during the session. However, nine of these Bills were not discussed or debated by even a single MP in the Lok Sabha. Seven Bills were passed in the Lok Sabha in five minutes or less, though they were debated for at least 40 minutes in the Rajya Sabha. The only exception was the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which received detailed discussion — around 11 hours in the Lok Sabha and nearly seven hours in the Rajya Sabha.

In the Rajya Sabha, even the Bills that were discussed saw limited debate. For instance, 16 MPs spoke on the Bill amending the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, but the total time taken was only 50 minutes, meaning each MP spoke for an average of three minutes, as per PRS Legislative Research's analysis.

Data from the seven sessions of the 18th Lok Sabha since 2024 shows a trend of Bills being introduced without prior notice. Five of these sessions saw several Bills introduced that were not on the agenda. This Monsoon Session also recorded the highest share of Bills introduced and passed — 92% — since 2024.

Question Hour, a key mechanism for parliamentary oversight, functioned for less than 1% of the allotted time in the Lok Sabha. Out of more than 1,000 minutes allocated between July 20 and August 13, only nine minutes were utilised. In the Rajya Sabha, Question Hour functioned for about 12% of the allotted time, with two hours being used. Of the 380 questions listed in the Lok Sabha, only two were answered orally, while in the Rajya Sabha, 16 of 285 questions received oral answers.

The low utilisation of Question Hour and the hasty passage of Bills without debate raise concerns about the effectiveness of parliamentary oversight. However, the government maintainedthat the Bills passed were necessary and that the disruptions were politically motivated. The Opposition, on the other hand, accused the government of avoiding accountability.

As the Monsoon Session ends, the numbers highlight a growing trend of reduced legislative scrutiny. Parliamentary analysts point out that the inability to debate Bills and question ministers undermines the core functions of Parliament. The upcoming sessions will be closely watched to see if the trend reverses.