Jaipur: Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani Friday called for a fair and balanced approach to allotting speaking opportunities in the House, amid controversy over participation during the ongoing Budget Session.Addressing both treasury and Opposition benches, Devnani said equitable participation was essential for healthy legislative functioning. “Some members get to participate in almost every budget debate, while others do not get a chance even once. This is not a healthy practice,” he said. Highlighting the disparity, the Speaker informed the House that 18 Opposition MLAs and 23 ruling party MLAs had not spoken a single word so far in the Budget Session. “This is an alarming situation. Every elected representative must get an opportunity to raise issues concerning their constituencies,” he said. Devnani said that speaking slots should not be concentrated among a select few and urged party leaders and whips to ensure broader representation. Maintaining fairness and decorum in legislative proceedings, he added, was a shared responsibility of both sides of the House. His remarks came amid recent tensions over the allocation of speaking time. Referring to disruptions a day earlier over Congress MLA Shravan Kumar not being allowed to speak, Devnani said it was important to understand the circumstances that led to the situation. “I already decided the list of speakers. Despite that, when I saw another name included, I sought clarification from the Chair. Once the Speaker takes a decision, it must be respected,” he said. The Speaker accused both ruling and Opposition parties of adding names to the speakers’ list after it had been finalised, calling the practice improper and a violation of established procedure. He warned that the approved list must be strictly adhered to. Devnani suggested finalising the names of members scheduled to speak well in advance to prevent confusion and avoid similar disputes. The issue, raised during Zero Hour, followed a brief standoff that led to a boycott by Congress members on Wednesday, after which proceedings resumed smoothly.
