 "Lok Sabha seat allotment sparks discontent; INDIA allies blame Congress")
The new seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha has stirred dissatisfaction among members of both the ruling and Opposition parties, with Members of Parliament expressing complaints over placements that they feel do not reflect their seniority or political stature, according to a report by The Indian Express. During the Parliament session on Tuesday, MPs expressed this dissatisfaction stating that seating and in turn visibility impacted their influence and stature in their respective constituencies.
Congress monopolising prime LS seats?
Within the Opposition, the new seating plan has created unease among members of the Congress and its allies in the INDIA bloc. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi occupies a prominent seat in the sought-after eighth block, facing the Prime Minister and senior ministers on the Treasury Benches. However, several senior MPs from allied parties, such as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Sharad Pawar faction, have been relegated to the seventh block, sparking accusations that the Congress is monopolising prime seats.
Senior Congress leaders like Manish Tewari and Shashi Tharoor have been assigned seats in the fourth and third rows, respectively, prompting members to question the criteria used for these decisions.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has been allotted a seat away from the Congress leadership, prompting remarks that highlight his dissatisfaction with the Congress's role in the allocation process.
Om Birla dismisses seat allotment discussions
During Question Hour on Tuesday, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, a fifth-term parliamentarian, raised objections to being allotted an eighth-row seat despite his experience. In the previous Lok Sabha, Reddy had been seated in the second row. Other party leaders are also reportedly unhappy with their proximity to members of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), from which some TDP MPs had previously defected.
Speaker Om Birla, however, dismissed public discussion on the issue, urging MPs to address such matters privately with the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry or his office.
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Camera placement and seating
The arrangement, which places cameras prominently on the eighth block, has added to the tension. MPs value visibility during live telecasts of House proceedings, as it boosts their public image and strengthens their standing in their constituencies.
Is Congress at fault for LS seat arrangement?
While party leaders may influence the seating arrangement for a session, the final decision lies with the Speaker of the House. Installation of automatic vote recording equipment in the Lok Sabha necessitated fixed seating. Members can cast votes from their allotted seats.
The first seat in the front row on the left of the Chair is reserved for the Deputy Speaker, while the front-row seat next to the Deputy Speaker is reserved for the Leader of Opposition. The first seat in the front row on the right, irrespective of Lok Sabha membership, goes to the Prime Minister.
Ministers are seated in the front rows on the right, in order of seniority. Members must occupy their allotted seats and address the House from them unless directed otherwise by the Chair.
Lok Sabha seating guidelines explained
General seating principles for the Lok Sabha state that recognised parties/groups are allotted blocks of seats proportional to their strength in the House. Individual members of these blocks are assigned seats by their respective party/group leaders, subject to the Speaker’s approval.
Independent members or small groups (less than five members) are seated at the Speaker’s discretion. As far as special allotments are concerned, senior members with long service may receive prominent or front-row seats. New members (for example, from by-elections) are initially seated in back rows and later assigned regular seats.