Naidu writes to party heads over low attendance in panel meetings

New Delhi: Irked over the poor attendance in the House, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has urged leaders of political parties to ensure regular attendance of their members in the meetings of the department related standing committees (DRSCs) as well as in the Upper House.

According to sources, Naidu decided to write letters to the parties after it came to his notice that of the total 44 parties represented in Parliament, members of only 5 parties were present in all 24 parliamentary committees.

According to sources, Naidu in a letter dated December 6, 2019 to the leaders of 29 parties in the Rajya Sabha, voiced concern over the low attendance of members in the meetings of the committees and suggested to institute a mechanism in the party for regularly monitoring of attendance and counselling.

Naidu wrote this letter a day after he held a meeting with the Chairmen of 8 DRSCs and 12 Standing Committees of Rajya Sabha. Noting that introduction of DRSCs in 1993 has been a land mark initiative in the evolution of functioning of the Parliament, Naidu, in his letter to the leaders, said, "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 is absent 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, Naidu further stated in his letter.

According to Rajya Sabha sources, Naidu's concern over non-representation of perspectives of different parties in the reports of DRSCs is based on the combined strength of parties in both the House of Parliament and the composition of DRSCs.