Parliament adjourns Sine Die

New Delhi, Dec 19 (UNI) Both Houses of Parliament were today adjourned sine die after the Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee made fervent appeals to the Members to ensure that the time of the House was not wasted on unnecessary adjournments or in any other manner.

While Mr Chatterjee said that for effective functioning of Parliamentary democracy, the participation of the Opposition was imperative, Mr Shekhawat said Parliamentary proceedings in a democracy would be meaningful only when important issues concering the common man were discussed effectively in the House. He also conveyed his New Year's greetings to the members.

Mr Shekhawat singled out the Bill passage of Central Educational Institutions (Reservations in Admission) Bill 2006, Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill 2006 and Prevention of Child Marriage Bill 2006 as a means to bring about far reaching changes in the thinking process of the country.

In Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil appreciated the way both the ruling and the opposition benches marched towards democratic progress despite differences in approach, keeping the national interest in mind. Both Houses concluded with the singing of 'Vande Mataram', the National Song.

Eds: Here pick up suitably from earlier series.

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