If you thought lawmakers seriously debate bills before turning them into laws, here’s a statistic that will make you gawk. On July 28, Lok Sabha MPs amended the anti-graft Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act to exempt public servants – including themselves – from declaring their assets by July 31. On March 16, the Rajya Sabha passed an amendment to the Gurudwara Act-1925 to disenfranchise an estimated 70 lakh Sehajdari Sikhs without sparing a minute for contemplation. The IT Amendment Act was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2008 after a debate of just 40 minutes. Data provided by the PRS shows that during the UPA regime, Parliament passed 27 bills under five minutes and 21 others under 30 minutes.

Source: Hindustan Times August 28, 2016 19:07 UTC