NEW DELHI: With the House passing 31 bills, the just-concluded Rajya Sabha session was the most productive over the past 17 years. However, none of the bills were referred to select committees for scrutiny despite opposition’s insistence. This session would also be remembered for several opposition MPs quitting their membership and joining BJP as well as the government getting the support of some regional parties on crucial bills.In his concluding remarks before adjourning the House sine die on Wednesday, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said 31 bills were passed in 35 sittings.The government scored a major victory when the Rajya Sabha made Article 370 ineffective, divided J&K and Ladakh into two Union Territories, okayed the instant triple talaq bill, the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill and others.With the government extending the session by seven working days, it was also the longest in the last 14 years. The opposition cried foul, saying the standing committees for scrutiny of bills have not been formed and the government was not agreeing to its demand for sending the bills to select panels.Most bills were passed after discussions lasting for just 3-4 hours.Despite NDA not having a majority of its own, the government won over the non-UPA parties for passing some important bills. Parties like BJD, TRS and YSRCP supported the government.BJP’s ally JDU walked out during the instant talaq bill, thus helping the government by lowering the majority mark. Some of the regional parties backed the government. BSP and TDP supported the government on some bills, ensuring passage. Some long pending bills, including the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, National Medical Commission, Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, Consumer Protection Bill, Companies (Amendment) Bill — which were stuck in the Rajya Sabha during the previous government — finally got the nod from Parliament.This session also witnessed nine opposition MPs joining BJP. Four TDP MPs switched sides while three from SP and two from Congress resigned their membership to join BJP. The Rajya Sabha also prevailed on the Lok Sabha to accept its amendments to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill and the National Medical Commission Bill as passed by the latter.