Decode Politics: Maharashtra Speaker’s office faces heat over ‘calling attention motions’. What are they?

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav brought up the matter in the Assembly the same day. “It has been written that some ruling MLAs went on to offer money to an officer in the Speaker’s house to put their attention motion in the day’s business,” said Jadhav.

The Speaker has denied any bias on his part and said Jadhav should have spoken to him first instead of bringing up the issue in the Assembly.

Of late, several Opposition MLAs have drawn attention to an increase in such motions being filed in the Assembly, pointing out that their issues have been getting sidelined.

* What are calling attention motions?

A calling attention motion is a tool that legislators can use to draw the attention of the government to an urgent issue of public importance. Through this motion, they can call for the government’s response on the issue.

This motion is used for a range of issues. In the recent Maharashtra Budget session, for example, calling attention motions were introduced on the alleged infiltration of Bangladeshis in Mumbai, land encroachment, and the unavailability of a mechanism to provide caste certificates in a slum rehabilitation scheme.

The Maharashtra Assembly rules have a procedure for introducing these motions. “A member may, with the previous permission of the Speaker call the attention of a Minister to any matter of urgent public importance and the Minister may make a brief statement or ask for time to make a statement at a later hour or date. There shall be no debate on such statement. If, however, the Speaker is of the opinion that the matter needs elucidation, he may permit a few questions to be asked,” state the rules.

* How is the motion introduced and taken up?

To introduce a calling attention motion, MLAs submit their motions online to the Assembly. A dedicated branch of officials from the Speaker’s office then scrutinises the proposals, decides whether they can be admitted or not, and forwards them to the Speaker.

“If a question or motion pertains to a subjudice matter or relates to the central government and is not under the purview of the state government … It gets rejected. The other questions and motions go to the Assembly speaker with positive or negative remarks given by the officials. Irrespective of the remarks, the Speaker is the final authority on whether to accept the question or motion or reject it. The Speaker’s authority cannot be challenged,” said a Maharashtra government official.

* How does it work in practice?

While this is the prescribed procedure, MLAs approach the Speaker or chairperson with a request to give their motions preference. The Speaker then takes a call on this. In general, the motions that get rejected are sent back to the legislator.

* What do Opposition leaders say?

Taking a dig at the increased number of calling attention motions in the Assembly, BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar said in the recent Budget Session that the legislature was turning into “lakshvedhi (attention motion) Bhavan”.

Several senior MLAs have spoken about a high number of calling attention motions in the House. One day during the recent Budget session, for example, saw 35 calling attention motions. Senior MLAs claim the increase in these motions reduces the time allotted for discussion on Bills and other important matters.

According to an Assembly official, there is “no limit on the number of attention motions which can be admitted in a day’s business. “It is the purview of the chairman, and there has been no specific rule to limit the number,” he said.

Other Opposition MLAs have spoken about their issues getting sidelined. “Issues and questions raised by us were not given preference,” said Congress MLA Nana Patole.

“When we tried to raise our voice or point out an issue, the preference was given to the other (ruling) side,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Varun Sardesai.