Bills on fast track: Over half of 18th Lok Sabha bills passed in same session, shows data | India News
NEW DELHI: More than half of the bills introduced in the 18th Lok Sabha so far have been passed by both Houses in the same session, with the pace of passage accelerating sharply over the past year, an analysis of data from PRS Legislative Research shows.Of the 64 bills introduced since the 18th Lok Sabha was constituted, 34, or 53%, were passed by both Houses in the session in which they were introduced.The 18th Lok Sabha initially recorded a slower pace. During the Budget Session of 2026, five of the 10 bills introduced were passed by both Houses in the same session. The pace accelerated during the Monsoon Session, which ended on August 13, with 11 of the 12 bills introduced being passed before the session concluded. The Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, was the only bill left pending.
Bills passed without being on original agenda
The government’s original legislative agenda had listed five new bills for introduction and passage and two pending bills for consideration and passage. However, six of the 11 bills eventually passed during the Monsoon Session were not included in the original agenda.Neither of the two pending bills listed for consideration and passage — the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment (FCRA) Bill, 2026 — was passed. The parliamentary committee examining the VBSA Bill has not yet submitted its report, while the FCRA Amendment Bill was referred to a Joint Committee following Opposition demands for its withdrawal.
Seven bills cleared in minutes
The rapid passage of legislation has raised concerns over the time available for parliamentary scrutiny. PRS has previously pointed out that a short gap between introduction and passage gives MPs less time to examine proposed laws and limits opportunities for consultation with stakeholders.
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The Monsoon Session data illustrates the trend. According to PRS, nine of the 11 bills passed were cleared without any MP other than the minister piloting the legislation speaking on them. Seven bills were passed in five minutes or less. Held from July 20 to August 13, monsoon session had 19 sittings. Lok Sabha functioned for only 15% of its scheduled time, while Rajya Sabha worked for 33%, according to PRS.The trend towards faster passage became more visible in 2025. Three of the five bills introduced during the Budget Session of 2025 were passed in the same session, followed by eight of 13 bills during the Monsoon Session and seven of nine during the Winter Session.
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