The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delhi Speaker asks ministers to maintain quorum

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 26, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Delhi Speaker asks ministers to maintain quorum

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Concerned at the trend of ministers not being present in the House while issues pertaining to their departments are being raised by members, Delhi Assembly Speaker Yoganand Shastri on Thursday directed that they must be present at such times.

Dr. Shastri also expressed his displeasure with all the ministers leaving the House at the same time while it was in the middle of a discussion. “All the ministers leaving at the same time is not good,” he said.

The observations were made by the Speaker after the BJP MLAs objected to Congress MLAs leaving for lunch soon after Question Hour. Former Minister S. P. Ratawal said at a time when the city was grappling with a serious water and power problem the ruling party MLAs were more interested in lunch.

His colleagues Kulwant Rana and Sahab Singh Chauhan also objected to such behaviour.

Trying to lighten the atmosphere, Finance Minister A. K. Walia left the House saying “Main dekh kar aata hoon” (I’ll just see and come back).

However, as the BJP members raised the issue of the quorum not being there, the Speaker pressed the bell and made the observations for ensuring better discipline.

While on Wednesday a lunch was hosted in the Assembly premises by Congress MLA Talwinder Singh Marwah, on Thursday the lunch was thrown by Deoli MLA Arvinder Singh Lovely. Normally lunches by the Chief Minister or others are organised at 1 p.m.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi