Allocate more time for junior MLAs to raise issues in House: Gujarat Speaker


PTI | Lucknow | Updated: 18-01-2020 12:26 IST | Created: 18-01-2020 12:26 IST
Allocate more time for junior MLAs to raise issues in House: Gujarat Speaker
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Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Suryaprasad Trivedi has come up with innovative ways to convince junior MLAs, who tend to raise slogans and enter the Well of the House, to maintain order. Trivedi was in Lucknow to attend the 7th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association India Region Conference at the UP Legislative Assembly.

Speaking to PTI in an interview, he said, "In my experience, I used to wonder why MLAs enter the Well of the House. The major reason is that the first-time MLAs generally get less time to put forward their views, as the focus is relatively more on the senior MLAs." "What I did once during the Question Hour was to allow 35 such MLAs to ask supplementary questions. When the junior MLAs are satisfied, the purpose is effectively served," he said.

By simply asking the MLAs the names of their teachers or by telling them that he will write letters to their teachers or fathers, Trivedi claims to have tackled disruptions in the House by calming down the legislators. Mentioning some of the questions, the 65-year-old said, "For example, I ask them who is your teacher? I will write a letter to them or I will write a letter to their father."

The Gujarat speaker also said, "To MLAs who do not raise good issues, I send a hand-written letter to them stating that they can become a good orator. This has to some extent acted as a motivation and those who used to indulge in hangama have started giving good statements in the House." Another such activity, which Trivedi has initiated is publishing positive manners of MLAs in 'Sanchit', a magazine brought out by the Gujarat Assembly.

He pointed out, "During a session, if an MLA has put forth anything in a positive manner or raised an issue with a positive angle, it is published in 'Sanchit' magazine of the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha. The MLA then goes to his constituency with the magazine." Trivedi's comments assume importance, as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had asked lawmakers to express their views in the House strongly and emotionally but also in a disciplined and dignified manner to "successfully stand the test" as a public representative during the inauguration of the CPA earlier in the week.

Legislatures should work smoothly without disruptions for which rules can be framed, Birla had said adding that efforts should be made for bringing uniformity in the rules. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has over 180 branches in legislatures of commonwealth countries. These branches are geographically grouped into nine commonwealth regions.

CPA India region was earlier a part of the CPA Asia region and it became an independent region from September 7, 2004. The India Region of the CPA has its India Union Branch (Parliament of India) and chapters in 30 state and union territory branches.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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