LS sectt functioning under scanner

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan and the secretariat found themselves embroiled in an angry dispute as members of the Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) clashed over the contentious Room no 5 on the first floor of the Parliament House.

While this is not the first time that there has been a disagreement over the occupancy and possession of a room, many question why the Lok Sabha secretariat is working at cross-purposes in allotting rooms.

The Speaker’s office has also been slow in allotting division numbers to members due to which they need to vote by slip in the house -- a long and lengthy procedure.

It was only recently that members were allotted their seat number.

The Standing Committees, their chairpersons and members are also not in order.

The Speaker’s office is yet to officially inform the Congress party if they will get the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

There is speculation that the government may extend the Budget session of Parliament, as it is yet to pass some crucial bills. But it appears that this is being done to pressurise the opposition to cooperate.

If the session is extended Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be able to make policy pronouncements from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15 as policy matters cannot be pronounced outside the Parliament if it is in session.