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Birla slams repeated disruption of House
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday lashed out against disruption of the House, and pointed out that because Parliament and state assemblies sit for fewer than 100 days a year, “we can’t afford to waste a single minute.”
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday lashed out against disruption of the House, and pointed out that because Parliament and state assemblies sit for fewer than 100 days a year, “we can’t afford to waste a single minute.”
He made the comments while speaking to HT on the sidelines of the 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference held at the Uttar Pradesh assembly hall, and in the context of disruptions that have significantly affected Parliament’s functioning. The comments come days before the budget session starts on January 28. In last year’s monsoon session, for instance, the Lok Sabha functioned for only 29% of the planned time; and the Rajya Sabha, 34%.
Birla told the conference that Speakers and Presiding officers must be impartial and lawmakers must raise issues of those living in the last mile.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his written statement for the conference, said, “Debates and discussions are an important part of a democracy, promoting transparency, fairness and respect for differing viewpoints and criticism with dignity.”
In this context, Speakers and Presiding officers play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth, impartial and orderly function of legislative bodies by facilitating effective transaction of business while maintaining decorum and decency on the floor of the House and adhering to legislative rules and procedures.”
Given that legislatures across India function for only part of the year, these disruptions are particularly significant.
“I would like to draw your attention to another aspect of our legislative functioning: the relatively low number of actual sittings of our legislatures. For example, the Lok Sabha sits for only about 330 to 355 days during its entire five-year term.”
“This means less than 100 days a year. And the state legislatures sit for even fewer days. At this critical juncture, when we have limited time and public expectations are rapidly rising, we cannot afford to waste a single moment,” Birla told HT.
It’s also a matter of public trust, the Speaker said.
“ The conduct, behaviour, and performance of MPs and MLAs, whether inside or outside the House, profoundly impacts public trust. The work of public representatives in addressing the concerns of the people enhances public confidence and respect for our democratic institutions,” he added.
Birla, who was elected for a second term in 2024, emphasised on impartiality of the presiding officers. “Irrespective of the political party which a Presiding officer comes from, his conduct must be above party politics. His conduct must be fair and impartial.” He maintained that through the legislature, the aspirations and voices of the people, particularly those from the last mile, reach the government for solutions.
He pointed out that in the digital era, legislative proceedings are not confined within the precinct of the House.
“ In this age of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and social media, every action of public representatives is under public scrutiny. The people who have elected you are watching the proceedings of the legislatures and the performance of their representatives. We, the leaders holding important positions, must conduct ourselves with utmost integrity and uphold the highest standards of parliamentary etiquette and discipline, both inside and outside the House,” Birla said.
Quoting Bhagavad Gita, the Lok Sabha Speaker said, “The conduct of a great leader serves as an example for others.” He maintained that it is the duty of both the members and the Presiding Officers to maintain decorum in the House.
“ We must understand that every minute wasted due to disorder in the House represents a waste of precious public resources. This valuable time should be dedicated to meaningful debates, legislation, and deliberations aimed at the welfare of the people and the progress of the nation. The conduct of business in the House is governed by well-defined procedures and rules of conduct, long-established parliamentary practices and traditions, directions given by the Speaker, and rulings given by the Chair. While it is the responsibility of the presiding officers to conduct the business of the House in an orderly manner, it is also the duty of the members to abide by and respect these rules and procedures while discharging their legislative responsibilities,” Birla added.
The Speaker spoke of the increasing use of regional languages in the House, and the need for effective cooperation and mutual respect. HT reported in December that in the winter session of Parliament, 160 speeches –– fully or in part –– were delivered in languages other than Hindi and English in the Lok Sabha. Tamil topped the chart with 50 speeches, followed by Marathi (43) and Bengali (25).
The Speaker argued that today, India stands at a unique position in the world with its remarkable economic strength and confidence. “ We have already become the world’s fourth-largest economy. A global leader in digital innovation, India boasts the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. India ranks sixth globally in the number of patents filed, demonstrating that India’s youth are benefiting from the robust innovation ecosystem fostered under the visionary leadership of our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,” he said.
