First-time BJP MP bags Sansad Ratna award

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader P.P. Chaudhary, a first-time Lok Sabha member from Rajasthan, has been selected for the Sansad Ratna 2015 Awards for his performance in the house till the end of the budget session.

"Chaudhary is among four Lok Sabha members selected for the Sansad Ratna 2015 Awards for outstanding performance in the 16th Lok Sabha till the end of the budget session," K.Srinivasan, chairman, Prime Point Foundation told IANS on Wednesday.

Since 2009, the foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has been awarding top performing members of parliament based on the number of debates they participate, the number of questions raised, the number of private member bills introduced and attendance.

Under the open category, three 'Sansad Ratna Awards 2015' are given to the toppers in three categories, viz. debates, private members bills and questions.

One topper among the first time members for the cumulative overall tally gets the 'Sansad Navodit Ratna 2015' Award.

The toppers are selected based on the data provided by PRS Legislative Research and the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Srinivasan added.

Srinivasan said Chaudhary bags two awards - one for participating in 176 debates (highest among all members) and another for overall tally among first time members.

Incidentally he also the topper among all the Lok Sabha members with a total 384 points (debates, questions raised and private member bills introduced).

Shiv Sena member Chandu Barne Shirang from Maharashtra raised the highest number of questions -314 questions- to bag the award under the questions category. With a overall tally of 355 points he comes second in the Lok Sabha.

Nishikant Dubey (BJP MP from Jharkhand) bags the award for being a topper in the private members bills category introducing 11 bills. With a total point of 328 Dubey is ranked number three in the Lok Sabha based on his overall performance.

Under the women's category, 'Sansad Mahila Ratna Award 2015' has been bagged by Supriya Sule (NCP MP from Maharashtra). She topped the women MPs securing an overall cumulative tally of 321 points. Sule stands fifth among all Lok Sabha members.

According to Srinivasan, the three toppers of 15th Lok Sabha also members of the current house - union minister Hansraj G. Ahir (Maharashtra), Anand Rao Adsul (Maharashtra) and Arjun Ram Meghwal (Rajasthan) members of Lok Sabha were part of the committee of judges this year.

The awards will be presented to the parliamentarians here on July 11.