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Speaker Sumitra Mahajan calls meeting to prevent House disruptions
Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan has called a meeting of Parliament’s Rules Committee on Friday to explore options to prevent disruptions, use of placards and members from rushing into the well of the House.
Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan has called a meeting of Parliament’s Rules Committee on Friday to explore options to prevent disruptions, use of placards and members from rushing into the well of the House.
The move follows frequent disruptions that have marred Parliament’s winter session from its beginning on December 11. Mahajan called senior leaders from different parties to her chamber to express her displeasure about the ongoing disturbances in the House after it was adjourned on Thursday.
She asked Parliament members for their opinion on how to prevent members from rushing to the well. “She told us that she will call a meeting of the Rules Committee of Parliament to discuss the possibilities of how MPs can be barred from disrupting or coming to the well,” said one of the leaders, who met Mahajan on Thursday.
Biju Janata Dal’s Lok Sabha floor leader, Bhartruhari Mahtab, pointed out Chhattisgarh assembly’s rule that provides for automatic suspension of a member if he or she comes to the well to protest. “But I also suggested that we should also look at the rules British Parliament follows,” Mahtab said.
Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s Md Salim spoke about the provisions in Russian Parliament.Mahajan told the leaders that she has repeatedly maintained that nothing can be solved by disrupting the House. She lamented the disruptions have hurt its image.
Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhayay supported Mahajan saying many important issues could not be taken up due to the disruptions. He asked the government to accept the Opposition’s demand on how to debate certain issues. Bandopadhayay called it the best way to stop disruptions.
Congress floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge, parliamentary affairs minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Nationalist Congress Party’s Supriya Sule and deputy speaker Thambi Durai were among the 20 leaders. who attended Thursday’s meeting.
