Attendence plunges as MPs from both Houses treat Fridays casually

NEW DELHI: Lawmakers across party lines and from both Houses of Parliament treat Fridays casually – an analysis of attendance data since 2009 shows – with many of them choosing political engagements in their constituencies to legislation in New Delhi.

On July 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi admonished MPs from his party at a BJP meeting for putting legislation at risk by not being present in the House at the time bills were taken up for discussion.

This year in the Rajya Sabha has seen the lowest attendance (62%) on Fridays since the UPA II came to power in 2009. The average for other days this year has been over 70% which is lower than the 2009-17 average of around 75%

Since 2009, attendance in the Lok Sabha has been under 66% on Fridays compared to an average of around 72% on other days of the week.

Admitting a problem at hand, the government says going forward there will be more legislative business on Fridays to improve things.

In the just concluded Monsoon session, it was able to get three important bills (the IIMs bill, the RTE amendment bill and the IIPE bill) passed on Fridays in the Lok Sabha where the NDA has a brute majority. A number of MPs Hindustan Times spoke to admitted, on the condition of anonymity, that they leave for their constituencies by Friday afternoon.