No objections to members' questions: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

Under attack from the opposition for not giving them enough time to put supplementaries, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday made it clear that he had no objection to their questions but only wants to ensure each of them gets an opportunity.

Rahul Gandhi had targeted the Speaker over the past two days contending that he and some fellow opposition members were denied an opportunity to ask supplementary questions during the Question Hour.

“I have no objection to your questions. But, 20 members have the right to ask questions during Question Hour. I wish to give opportunity to all members,” the Speaker said in the House asking members to keep their questions brief and to the point.

Speaker asked members not to spend too much time in building up the context to the question and come to the point directly.

The first hour of business in the Lok Sabha is reserved for members to put questions to the government and ministers are obliged to answer them.

Members submit questions days before a session of Parliament commences, and 20 questions are selected through a ballot to be asked to the government during Question Hour. A member whose question is selected and a few others get to ask supplementary questions. For the rest of the questions, the government submits written replies that are laid on the table of the House.

On Monday, Rahul turn to ask a question came at 11:55 a.m., five minutes before the Question Hour ended. By the time the minister had replied to the former Congress President's first supplementary question, it was noon and the Speaker had declared Question Hour over.

On Tuesday, Rahul claimed that the Speaker had denied an opportunity to DMK members to ask questions about the Tamil language.