New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has clipped the wings of the members on any number of private member's bills and cut motions on the demands for grants in the Budget.
Using his powers as the Speaker, he got the House rules amended to bar any member from moving more than three Bills in a session. Only first three Bills will be put on agenda if a member has sought to pilot more Bills.
Similarly, the Speaker has restricted a single MP not to move more than 10 cut motions on the demands of given ministry. Many used to give notice of as many as 30 cut motions but the change of rules will mean the MPs will move only those cut motions that are absolutely essential to the subject.
Officials said the Speaker decided to strike when told that a whopping number of 100 private members' legislations were pending for debate in the House since there is no restriction on how many Bills an MP can move. They said there are MPs who have moved more than 10 to 20 Bills. The Lok Sabha Secretariat has to take care of drafting and printing these Bills that is an arduous task and many of the Bill cannot come even in five years of the House term.
Some MPs, who are habitual movers of the adjournment notices to suspend the House business almost on daily basis, were happy at another rule framed by the Speaker early this week that they will be able to raise the issue in the House even if their adjournment is rejected. These MPs, however, see a trap in this rule as they say the Speaker may not allow any adjournment hereafter and the concerned mover will be cut short if he wants to speak at length on the issue. They say it would mean no adjournments any longer.
