Lok Sabha Speaker Forms Key Committees on Member Absences

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has established a committee, led by Biplab Kumar Deb, to assess leave applications from members. This follows a petition by detained member Amritpal Singh seeking to attend sessions. Both the Committee on Absence and Committee on Petitions have been constituted with 15 members each.

In a significant move, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has constituted a committee to evaluate the leave applications of House members during their absence from proceedings. The development comes amid a high-profile case involving Lok Sabha member Amritpal Singh, who has sought permission to attend parliamentary sessions despite being detained under the National Security Act.

Amritpal Singh, elected from the Khadoor Sahib constituency, is currently in Dibrugarh jail and risks losing his membership if absent for 60 consecutive days. The committee, chaired by BJP's Biplab Kumar Deb, was formed as the Punjab and Haryana High Court deliberates on Singh's petition.

This committee includes 14 other members from various political parties, ensuring a broad representation. Simultaneously, a Committee on Petitions has also been set up, chaired by BJP member Chandra Prakash Joshi, to address other pressing issues in the House. Both committees consist of 15 members, displaying the Speaker's active role in maintaining parliamentary procedure and governance.