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RTI Reply Withholds Parliament Disruption Costs as Productivity Falls
A news organization asked how much money was lost when Parliament was disrupted.
The Rajya Sabha Secretariat said this request did not count as information under the RTI law.
It did not provide the requested cost figures.
The Lok Sabha has not yet answered the same request.
During the 2026 Monsoon Session, both Houses spent a lot of time being interrupted.
Lok Sabha worked productively for 19% of its scheduled time, while Rajya Sabha worked productively for 39%.
Lok Sabha records say 79 hours and 34 minutes were lost because of interruptions and forced adjournments.
Some people say Parliament costs ₹2.5 lakh every minute, but the article says there is no official source for that number.
The Rajya Sabha Secretariat declined to provide the cost of running sessions or money lost during disruptions, citing Section 2(f) of the RTI Act.
Mint filed its RTI request on August 13, and the Rajya Sabha Secretariat responded on September 2; a Lok Sabha response is pending.
During the Monsoon Session 2026, Lok Sabha productivity was 19% and Rajya Sabha productivity was 39%.
Lok Sabha records show 79 hours and 34 minutes lost to interruptions or forced adjournments, with 17 hours and 32 minutes of sitting time.
The widely cited estimate that Parliament costs ₹2.5 lakh per minute has no official source; a 2008 Lok Sabha paper estimated ₹29,000 per minute.
- Who
- Mint, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju are central to the report; advocates and lawmakers also cited Parliament’s costs.
- What
- An RTI request for the cost of Parliament sessions and money lost through disruptions was declined by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
- Where
- The issue concerns India’s Parliament, specifically the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
- When
- The RTI was filed on August 13 and answered by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on September 2; the Monsoon Session 2026 ran from July 20 to August 13, 2026.
- Why
- The request followed major disruptions and lost sitting time during the Monsoon Session 2026, prompting questions about taxpayers’ money.
Transparency and Accountability
Secretariat’s RTI Interpretation
Disclosure of disruption costs
Transparency and Accountability
The RTI request sought public information about money spent on Parliament and lost through disruptions, amid substantial recorded interruptions.
Secretariat’s RTI Interpretation
The Rajya Sabha Secretariat refused to provide the figures, stating that the request did not constitute “information” under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act.
Responsibility for disruptions
Transparency and Accountability
The report highlights Opposition protests over alleged police atrocities against NEET protesters and notes that disruptions affected debates and Question Hour.
Secretariat’s RTI Interpretation
Kiren Rijiju blamed the Opposition for avoiding debates and said 11 of 12 Bills were passed without discussion.
Per-minute cost estimate
Transparency and Accountability
Mahesh Jethmalani and Vikramjit Sahney cited the estimate that each minute of Parliament costs taxpayers ₹2.5 lakh.
Secretariat’s RTI Interpretation
The article notes that no official source supports the ₹2.5 lakh figure and cites a lower ₹29,000-per-minute estimate from a 2008 Lok Sabha discussion paper.
Key facts
- RTI applicant
- Mint
- Rajya Sabha response
- The Secretariat said the requested information did not constitute “information” under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005.
- Lok Sabha productivity
- 19% during the Monsoon Session 2026
- Rajya Sabha productivity
- 39% during the Monsoon Session 2026
- Time lost
- 79 hours and 34 minutes in interruptions or forced adjournments, according to the Lok Sabha website
- Recorded sitting time
- 17 hours and 32 minutes in the Lok Sabha
- Cost estimates
- A widely cited ₹2.5 lakh-per-minute estimate lacks an official source; a 2008 Lok Sabha discussion paper estimated ₹29,000 per minute
Quotes
Rajya Sabha Secretariat
The parliamentary secretariat that responded to Mint’s RTI request.
“The information sought does not constitute 'information' under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005.”
livemint.com
“By old conservative estimate, Parliament costs taxpayers ₹2.5 lakh every minute”
livemint.com
Vikramjit Sahney
A Rajya Sabha member who cited the estimated cost of Parliament’s functioning.
“Each minute of Parliament costs ₹2.5 lakh of taxpayer money.”
livemint.com
Sources
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