After becoming the first woman to preside over the Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar has left her mark in her first year in office.
Ms Kumar, who will be completing first year in office on Thursday (June 3), has not only brought the temperatures down in the Lok Sabha but tried to create an atmosphere in which seniors and juniors, veterans and the back benchers feel comfortable.
Knowing well that the mandate is for a coalition government once again and constituents of the ruling UPA, main Opposition NDA and a third group maintaining an equal distance from the two fronts, have different positions on key issues, her attempt has been to allow them to raise their voice in the House.
The role of supporting parties backing the government from outside, has proved tricky in the past one year. But they too are comfortable with the Speaker Meira Kumar. Her ruling on a cut motion of Gurudas Dasgupta moved in the Budget Session was “historic”.
She constituted a JPC on maintenance of “heritage character” and development of the Parliament House complex, installed solar system in Parliament complex with a view to save electricity and to use renewable sources of energy.
A new ramp for the disabled has been added to the Lok Sabha Visitors Gallery to see the proceedings of the House because of her direction.
One of the important initiatives taken by her relates to review and rationalisation of some of the provisions of the rules, directions which regulate Question Hour.
As a result thereof and amendments in the rules, the minimum period for giving notices of questions will now be 15 days and the restriction of a maximum period of 21 days has been done away with.
In the absence of member, the Speaker shall have the authority to direct that the answer to the Question be given by the concerned minister.