NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar announced the elimination of the additional 30-minute recess on Fridays in the Rajya Sabha, aligning its schedule with that of the Lok Sabha. The decision, revealed by Vice President and Rajya Sabha Speaker Jagdeep Dhankar on December 8, marks a notable change in the Friday timings to synchronize them with the Lok Sabha sessions.

Traditionally, the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha commence at 2:30 PM on Fridays. However, DMK MP Tiruchi N Shiva raised concerns during the session regarding the alteration of the session start time to 2:00 PM. Shiva highlighted that according to the rules of procedure and conduct in the Rajya Sabha, an extra 30-minute lunch break was allotted on Fridays to accommodate Muslim members to observe Namaz.

Under the revised schedule, the Rajya Sabha sessions will now run from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and resume from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with a lunch break scheduled from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Contrary to previous practice, this Friday witnessed the proceedings starting at 2:30 PM, foregoing the additional 30-minute lunch break provided for Friday prayers, though not explicitly stated in any official communication.

DMK MP raised this issue during the zero hour of the Rajya Sabha session on Friday, questioning the deviation from the usual 2:00 PM start time. Chairman Dhankar clarified, "Honorable members, this change isn't abrupt. This has been previously implemented and explained."

The alteration in Friday session timings to match the Lok Sabha schedule, where no breaks are observed for Namaz on Fridays, signifies a departure from the past practice exclusive to the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha consistently starts proceedings at 2:00 PM on all days, a timing now adopted for the Rajya Sabha to ensure consistency and uniformity across both houses of Parliament.

Challenging this decision, another DMK MP, M. Mohammad Abdullah, emphasized, "This practice has existed for several decades, specifically tailored for Muslim MPs due to Jumma on Fridays. It's a longstanding tradition."

In response, Chairman Dhankar defended the decision, emphasizing the inclusivity of Parliament and asserting that no particular exemptions should be granted based on religious affiliations. He pointed out, "Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha comprise members from diverse backgrounds. The Lok Sabha convenes at 2:00 PM, and we need to adhere to unified timings."

Following the Chairman's reiterated explanation that this scheduling change had been previously communicated and executed in the last session, no further objections were raised by the members.

This development reflects an important shift in the Rajya Sabha's operational structure, aligning its session timings with the Lok Sabha and marking the end of a longstanding practice catering to a specific religious observance on Fridays.

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