Decision likely on commonality in rules and procedures in LS, Assemblies: Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said that discussions have been held to have a commonality in rules and procedures of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies and a decision was expected in the meeting of Assembly Speakers.

Addressing a press conference at the end of the Winter Session of the Parliament, he said that discussions had been held with Assembly Speakers and most of them were in agreement with the proposal of having a common code about transacting business.

He said effort will be made to reach a decision on the issue in the next two meetings of Assembly Speakers to be held in Dehradun and Lucknow.

"We will try that the temple of democracy in States and in the country run with similar rules and procedures," he said.

The Speaker said both Assemblies and Parliament have their autonomy but the effort is to maximise the output.

He said that the number of sessions of State Assemblies was coming down and he will talk to Chief Ministers so that their number goes up and there are good debates.

Birla said that Members of Parliament had said that they face accusations of eating from a subsidised canteen and had agreed to forego subsidy.

He said that apart from the MPs, canteen facility is used by employees, security staff and also the media.

"You may not get subsidised tea in the next session," he quipped.

He also said that in a unique initiative, debates and discussions from 1858, including those during the British rule, have been digitised and were available to citizens.

Answering a query about the post of deputy speaker which is vacant, he said it was for the government to make a decision.

On the demand that time of private members' be shifted from Friday to Wednesday, he said a decision will be taken after discussions.