Venkaiah Naidu Asks Parties To Ensure Presence In Parliamentary Meetings

Expressing concern over low attendance of members in the meetings of parliamentary panels, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has urged leaders of political parties to ensure their members are regularly present in the meetings of the Department Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) and in the House as well, sources said on Monday.

In a letter to leaders of 29 parties in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Naidu suggested that they institute a mechanism in their organisation for regular monitoring of attendance in parliament and in the standing committees of parliament, they said.

Mr Naidu held a meeting with the Chairmen of 8 DRSCs and 12 standing committees of Rajya Sabha on December 5 in this regard, and said the absence of members denies parties of their view in reports of committees.

"Political parties are central to the effective functioning of parliamentary democracy. The DRSCs are so constituted to ensure representation of political parties based on their strength in each of the Houses of Parliament. If the members of Parliament belonging to a party absent themselves from the meetings of the DRSCs, the view point and concerns of respective parties on issues under consideration will not be reflected in the recommendations /reports of DRSCs," Mr Naidu said in the letter.

Sources in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat said of the total 44 parties represented in Parliament, only five -- BJP, Congress, AITC, DMK and YSRCP-- were represented on all 24 parliamentary committees. So it is important for other parties to attend the meetings of the DRSCs, otherwise their views wouldn''t be taken in the reports of the committees which are tabled in Parliament.

Each DRSC has 31 MPs including 10 from Rajya Sabha and 21 from Lok Sabha, nominated based on the strength of each political party.