Members should refrain from interjecting till permitted, says Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said ministers should give up the habit of responding to members during the Question Hour till permitted by the Chair.

This came after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav made a comment while Union minister Pralhad Joshi was replying to a question on solar energy and Union minister Piyush Goyal responded to the Kannauj MP. Goyal earlier served as power minister.

Joshi, who holds the New and Renewable Energy portfolio, was responding to supplementaries related to Pradhan Mantri-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PM-SGMBY).

Birla said ministers should not reply to members till they are allowed by the Chair.

Later, the speaker also asked members to keep their questions and answers short.

He made the comments when Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia was responding to questions about BSNL. Scindia was also asked to keep his reply short.

Members and ministers should keep their questions and answers crisp and to the point so that more members can get the opportunity to ask questions during the Question Hour, Birla said.

He was of the view that all the 20 questions selected for oral reply through a lottery system should be taken up during the Question Hour.