Lok Sabha Attendance Rules Revamped: MPs Must Now Mark Presence from Their Seats

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has introduced a major change in the rules governing parliamentary attendance. Starting from the upcoming Budget Session, Members of Parliament (MPs) will be required to mark their presence only from their designated seats, effectively ending the earlier provision that allowed attendance from the lobby. The move aims to encourage MPs to actively participate in the proceedings of the House.

Speaking at the 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference in Lucknow, Speaker Birla said the revised system ensures that attendance reflects not just presence within the Parliament premises but also active involvement in the House proceedings. Attendance can now be marked only while the House is in session; if proceedings are suspended—even due to disruptions—MPs will not be able to register their presence.

To facilitate this, new consoles have been installed at every seat in the Lok Sabha. Speaker Birla emphasized that this reform is part of broader efforts to modernize parliamentary procedures and enhance the productivity of legislative sessions.

Birla further stated that a committee has been constituted to explore ways to standardize rules and traditions across India’s legislative bodies. The initiative aims to promote healthy competition among state legislatures and strengthen public confidence in democratic institutions through greater transparency and active participation.

The Budget Session is scheduled to commence on 28 January 2026.