00:23Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury hails Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

NEW DELHI: In a rare spectacle, leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday said he wanted Speaker Om Birla to emerge as the best Speaker among all the Commonwealth countries.The wish came during the introduction of the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the lower house.During the introduction of the bill, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “Sir, you have an important role to play and, therefore, we put forth our views before you. The House will function more efficiently if you keep listening to us. We all want you to emerge as the best Speaker among all the Commonwealth countries.”The compliment came due to the manner in which Speaker Om Birla conducts the proceedings of the Lok Sabha.The Speaker’s rulings have endeared him to the MPs of not just the treasury benches but also of the opposition parties.The Speaker has repeatedly stated that he will be fair to all the MPs. “I see all the MPs with the same outlook. I do not differentiate between MPs,” he is often heard saying in the house.In fact, Om Birla has tweaked the procedures to suit the opposition members.After discussions on bills or debates on issues, the minister concerned makes a reply on the floor of the house. Till now, the particular legislative business would come to an end the minister’s reply.The opposition members would keep shouting and interrupting the minister in order to seek clarifications or to protest anything in his or her reply which they found objectionable. The reply would usually end in ruckus.However, this has changed now.Om Birla allows the MPs to seek clarifications even after ministers have given their reply. After the MPs’ questions, the minister concerned satisfies their concerns.The house works smoothly as a result of this change in procedure. Moreover, the opposition MPs feel more satisfied now.The MPs, even of the opposition parties, express their satisfaction with rulings of Om Birla who is a BJP MP from Kota in Rajasthan . Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s compliment should be seen in the same light.