RS changes rules to deal with absent MPs

From the Budget Session, absence of MPs will not affect the functioning of the Rajya Sabha during the Question Hour.

From the Budget Session, absence of MPs will not affect the functioning of the Rajya Sabha during the Question Hour.

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The House has changed its rules to deal with absenteeism by ensuring replies to questions, even if the members who put them will not be present.

The Rules Committee of the Rajya Sabha has amended the concerned clause, which now reads as “if on a question being called it is not put or the member in whose name it stands is absent, the Chairman shall direct that the answer be given.”

“On many occasions, during the Question Hour, the House does not get comprehensive information from government on an issue of sufficient public importance sought by the members because the member in whose name the question is listed happens to be absent,” the committee said in its report.

The report to be formally adopted by the House on Tuesday, has deleted the old rule that stated that the questions of
absent members can be taken up only in the second round, if time permits.

“It is hoped that the amendments proposed by the Committee would not only help in improving the output but also the effectiveness of the Question Hour to a great extent,” the panel said in its report presented to the RS on Monday.

A motion will be moved in the House on Tuesday for its approval following which the new rules will come into force from the next session.

The Question Hour in the Lok Sabha had collapsed on a day during this session due to absence 28 members, while in the Rajya Sabha many questions could not be taken up due to the same reason.