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Lok Sabha to Mark Attendance Only from Inside House Seats from Budget Session

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has announced that MPs' attendance will be recorded only when they are physically present at their designated seats inside the House, effective from the upcoming Budget Session. This ends the earlier provision allowing attendance to be marked from elsewhere in the Parliament complex. The move aims to enhance transparency, discipline, and ensure attendance reflects active participation in proceedings. The reform is part of broader efforts to modernize Parliament, including testing AI tools and providing 24x7 research support to legislators.

Key Points: Lok Sabha Attendance Rule: Must Be in Seat from Budget Session

  • New rule from Budget Session
  • Must be at seat in chamber
  • Aims to boost accountability & discipline
  • Part of broader parliamentary modernization
  • AI tools being tested for Parliament
3 min read

Attendance in Lok Sabha to be marked from members' seats in the House from Budget Session, says Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announces MPs must be physically seated in House to mark attendance, ending the earlier provision, to boost accountability.

"attendance will now be recorded only when members are seated inside the House - Om Birla"

By Nishant Ketu, Lucknow, January 20

In a move aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in parliamentary proceedings, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has said that attendance of Members of Parliament will now be recorded only when they are physically present inside the House at their designated seats. The new attendance rule will be effective from the upcoming Budget Session.

Birla gave this information during a brief interaction with media persons on the sidelines of the 86th All India Presiding Officers' Conference.

Lok Sabha Speaker informed that the earlier provision that allowed members to mark their attendance from outside the House Chamber in the Parliament premises will be discontinued, underscoring the need of seriousness and discipline in legislative functioning.

Birla said that attendance will now be recorded only when members are seated inside the House.

The step is being taken to strengthen transparency and accountability. Also, no member can mark attendance after the House is adjourned, even if it's due to disruptions. The move is likely to encourage members to attend the House from the start of the proceedings every day.

The Speaker said that the decision has been taken to ensure that attendance accurately reflects active participation in House proceedings, rather than mere presence within the Parliament complex. By linking attendance to physical presence in the House, the initiative aims to encourage members to remain present during debates and discussions.

According to Birla, the designated consoles are already installed at every seat inside the Lok Sabha chamber. The reform is the part of a broader effort to modernise parliamentary procedures and improve the overall productivity of legislative sessions.

Lok Sabha Speaker also said that AI tools are being tested for use in Parliament and manual verification mechanisms have been put in place to address possible errors.

Real-time translation is being experimented for select meetings and in the coming months the facility will be functional. In addition, 24x7 research support services are being made available to provide legislators with timely access to research papers and reference material.

Birla also said that reduction in the number of sittings in Legislative Assemblies is also matter of concern. Efforts are being made to strengthen legislative institutions by enhancing their effectiveness, accountability and productivity. In this context, proposals regarding the minimum number of sitting days of Legislative Assemblies have been discussed earlier as well.

While the responsibility of conducting the House lies with the Speaker, the smooth functioning of the House ultimately depends on cooperation from the government and members.

The step concerning attendance has been welcomed by several members as a measure that reinforces the dignity of Parliament and will promote responsible legislative conduct.

The Budget Session of Parliament will begin on January 28 and the Union Budget will be presented on February 1.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally! This is basic accountability. We elect them to be in the House, not just somewhere in the Parliament complex. Hope this improves the quality of discussions and reduces unnecessary disruptions.
R
Rohit P
Good move, but will it be enforced properly? And what about genuine reasons for absence? The system should be smart enough to distinguish. Also, the focus should be on productive sittings, not just attendance for the sake of it.
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows Indian politics closely, this is a positive step towards modernisation. The use of AI and real-time translation mentioned in the article is also promising. Hope it leads to more informed debates.
M
Meera T
Bahut accha faisla hai! Our tax money pays for their salary and facilities. The least they can do is be present to discuss laws and the budget that affect crores of people. Now, if only they could also reduce the shouting and walkouts... 🤞
V
Vikram M
While the intent is good, I have a respectful criticism. MPs also have important committee meetings, constituency work, and other parliamentary duties outside the chamber. The attendance system shouldn't penalise them for that. A balanced approach is needed.
K
Karthik V
Transparency is key in a democracy

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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