Speaker Om Birla asks ministers to speak from their seats in Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday asked union ministers and members to speak from their seats in the House.

The Speaker gave the directions after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi urged him to strictly follow the rule that members should speak from their seats as their name is displayed on the screen.

He said that when Somnath Chatterjee was Speaker he had implemented a rule for members to speak from their seats.

Joshi said the wrong name is displayed when members do not speak from their seats and urged the Speaker to strictly implement the rule.

Birla asked if the House agrees with the minister and noted that it works with the agreement of members.

"Honourable members, the ministers will also reply to members from their seats from today," he said to applause from members.

The Speaker also asked members to raise their issues under Rule 377 in one minute and take a maximum of 30 seconds to wind it up.

He said the members who want to read their issues should practice at home so that they can finish reading it in a minute in the House.