LS sets record, clears 37 Bills

Expressing happiness over the good work done by the House, Speaker Manohar Joshi listed another achievement this session: that members did not come to the well of the House with their protests.

But there is still one issue that Joshi will have to address himself to when Parliament meets next for the Budget session in February. While the winter session did pass several Bills, the Lok Sabha saw attendance plunging to new depths. Joshi said it was the responsibility of every member to ensure that quorum is maintained. ‘‘I think members will be more careful from the next session,’’ he said.

The Speaker also hoped the Opposition would lift its boycott of Defence Minister George Fernandes in the two Houses over Tehelka. He said he had discussed the issue with leaders of various parties and that the Congress had said it would give him a draft on the issue. ‘‘Since I haven’t received anything from the Congress, my discussions are inconclusive,’’ he said.