Don’t record House proceedings, says Rajya Sabha chairperson Venkaiah Naidu

The use of mobile phones is barred on the floor of the House. While Rajya Sabha television records and beams the House proceedings live, the chair has the authority to instruct that disruptions not be shown

Rajya Sabha chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday instructed members of the House to not record the proceedings of the House using their mobile phones. The chairperson said recording the House proceedings and then circulating it on social media amounts to breach of privilege and contempt of the House.

Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu. (PTI)

The use of mobile phones is barred on the floor of the House. While Rajya Sabha television records and beams the House proceedings live, the chair has the authority to instruct that disruptions not be shown.

Naidu reminded the members of the ban on usage of cellular phones within the Rajya Sabha Chambers as informed to them through a Parliamentary Bulletin on January 29.

“As Members are aware, there is a restriction on the usage of cellular phones within the Rajya Sabha Chambers which is notified in the Parliamentary Bulletin Part-II, issued prior to the commencement of the sittings of a Session. It has been observed that some Members are using their mobile phones to record the proceedings of the House while sitting in the Chamber. Such conduct is against the Parliamentary etiquette and is not expected from the honourable Members,” Naidu said.

The issue of members using their mobile phones to record the House proceedings was also flagged during the Monsoon session that saw disruptions and unruly scenes play out on the floor of the House when the farm bills came up for voting. Some members had used their phones to capture how some Opposition MPs tore papers and jostled with the marshals.