LS Speaker unhappy over thin attendance, urges MPs to benefit from proceedings

Apparently unhappy with Lok Sabha witnessing thin attendance during the evening hours on Tuesday during the debate on demands for grants of Ministries of Rural Development, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Speaker Om Birla appealed to the members to be present in the House for maximum time and said they will benefit from speeches of fellow members.

Birla, who has been praised by members for giving them time to speak on issues being debated in the House and also to raise their issues, also appealed to the leaders of parties to request their members to be present in the House.

He said members can telephone their colleagues and urge them to benefit from discussions which reflected accumulated wisdom from all over the country and gives a sense of developments.

He also called upon members not to leave the House soon after making their speech.

The proceedings of the House continued till midnight on Tuesday.

The House had sat late on Monday to discuss the demands for grants of Road, Transport and Highways ministry. It had worked till midnight last week also during discussions on demands for grants for railways.

Congress MP from Ludhiana Ravneet Singh Bittu was among those who praised the Speaker for his effort to give the opportunity to all members by sitting in House for long hours.

He said the parliamentarians were criticised for wasting money of exchequer due to disruptions but the Speaker had started a tradition and had run the House till midnight.