Lok Sabha Secretariat pulls up ministries for logjam in Parliament

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha Secretariat has pulled up ministries and departments for delaying preparation of daily ‘List of Business’ in Parliament and sending a large number of papers for ‘laying on the table’ of the lower house during the last week of any session.

The secretariat, in a letter to all ministries and departments on July 14, with a copy marked to the Prime Minister’s Office, cabinet secretariat and NITI Aayog, specified that “it will not be possible” to accept papers to be laid on the table of the house at a notice shorter than two clear days during the last week of the session.

“It has been observed that ministries send a large number of papers for laying on the table of the Lok Sabha during the last week of the session. Ministries/departments are, therefore requested to segregate the papers and send them for laying in an even flow,” the letter said, asking for the papers at least two days in advance.

Citing the brochure ‘Government and Parliament – procedure to be followed by ministries in connection with parliamentary work’, the letter said, “It has been observed that ministries/departments do not always adhere to the procedure set out in the aforementioned brochure resulting in delay in the preparation of daily List of Business, and consequent late circulation of copies thereof to members.”