First session of 17th Lok Sabha witness record-breaking initiatives from Speaker Om Birla! Know in detail
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New Delhi, July 8: The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha is set to create a record with all the first-time members likely to raise their issues in the House before the conclusion of its sitting later this month.
But in this record making, new speaker, Om Birla is taking many initiatives which are encouraging members to speak in the House and providing the opportunity for the more inclusive working of Lok Sabha.
Om Birla is 2nd time MP and newly elected speaker of Lok Sabha is taking many innovative ways to more productive working.
Here are some important record-breaker initiatives by Speaker Om Birla -
The new Speaker of the new Lok Sabha has been nudging the members to use the House time more effectively to boost productivity and increase their participation in the proceedings.
He has been providing the opportunity for new members to express their views.
Between June 19 and July 4, 130 of the 264 newly-elected members have spoken in the House. He (the Speaker) is making an effort that by the time session concludes, all the newly-elected members get an opportunity to speak. It will be a record.
Birla already has a few records to his credit; in the first few days of working of Lok Sabha the House took up a record 10 questions last month. "Every day about eight to ten questions are being taken up. Earlier, a maximum of five or six questions could be taken up. Eighty-four members spoke during zero hours in a day, 49 of whom were new members.
He sits for long hours and has, on occasions, pushed the lunch hour to ensure that the maximum number of members get an opportunity to speak. He has also asked members not to thank him when they raise their issues.
Revolutionary Socialist Party member NK Premachandran has been made a member of the panel of chairpersons. As per the official statement, it is the first time that a member of a party with a single MP in the Lok Sabha is a member of a panel of chairpersons.
He has urged members not to make allegations without proof and facts, pointed out if they are talking, asked them not to make unnecessary comments. He has urged members to try and speak extempore during question hour while they can read from the paper in matters raised under Rule 377.
Birla, who is into his second term as an MP, has been giving primacy to Hindi in conducting the proceedings of the House. In a step that was widely noticed, he started using the words "han paksh" and "na paksh" during voting instead of customary "ayes" and "noes".
The Speaker attentively listens to the issues raised by members and gives his suggestions too. When the issue of water harvesting was raised by a BJP member, he suggested that it should be followed by all members.
Some of Birla's remarks have also led to light humor in the house.