Rules mooted to stop MPs from disrupting House

Against the backdrop of a complete washout of the Budget Session, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has formed a committee for a massive overhaul of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Upper House with the primary aim being to ensure that stray MPs are not able to disrupt the House proceedings at their whims and fancies. The last such exercise was undertaken 54-years ago.

The committee, headed by a former Secretary General of Rajya Sabha, has been mandated to compare the existing rules of the Upper House with that of Lok Sabha. The committee will also take cue from Parliaments in different parts of the world and if required the best practices incorporated for smooth conducts of the House.

“The existing Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha were first notified on May 16, 1952. A committee was formed then to suggest modifications and amendments and finally it was replaced in 1964. So now these will see a massive overhaul after being approved by members of the House and since most of the political parties desires to have the change,” Desh Deepak Verma, Secretary General, Rajya Sabha, told The Pioneer.  

Verma elaborated that in Rajya Sabha there is no provision for automatic suspension of members who persistently and willfully obstruct the proceedings of the House by shouting slogans or otherwise by coming into the Well of the House unlike the rule in Lok Sabha where the Speaker suspends the member.

“There is a difference in the provisions of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha Rules in certain matters. In some cases, the provisions in the Rajya Sabha Rules are more precise than the corresponding Rules in Lok Sabha and in some, provisions in the Upper House seem to be inadequate and not very specific. Some of these rules relate to Points of Order, Suspension of Rules, Discussion on a Matters of Public Interest and Notice of Privilege. Like what is public interest and that requires urgent attention needs to be specific so that they are not misused to take the house to ransom,” Verma, mentioned. 

The other rules that the committee is likely to ponder upon are Questions, Committees, Special Mentions, the maiden speeches, Private members bill etc.

The two-member committee would be headed by V.K. Agnihotri, while SR Dhaleta, a former Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice, would serve as a member. The committee has been mandated to submit its report in three months, but it could be granted further extensions depending on the members’ desire. The panel could give some of the recommendations before the monsoon session of Parliament.

The Secretary General indicated a need was felt for the past sometime for further amendments in Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business to enlarge the scope of some and make them more comprehensive in certain aspects for the smooth conduct of the proceedings of the House.