No one will be allowed to play with house rules: Mahana

Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly speaker Satish Mahana on Wednesday reiterated that he would quit his chair if any member of the house expressed lack of confidence in him. He asserted he would run the house as per rules.

“No one will be allowed to play with the rules of the house. I am here to uphold the dignity of my office and free to act in cases of threat to sanctity of the chair,” Mahana said, reiterating the statement he made after assuming office as speaker of the house in 2022.

“I come from an ordinary family. We have 403 members in this house. There may be members who have a strong base among certain castes. I come from a caste that has only 1000 members in my constituency. I enjoy the support of all. I had left my chair when a member pointed an accusing finger...” the speaker said.

Mahana said the opposition should not use any objectionable words while criticising the government. He made this statement after Samajwadi Party member Manoj Kumar Pandey raised the issue through a point of order in the house.

Pandey, who has switched over loyalties to the BJP, said action should be taken against those who raise an accusing finger towards the chair in the house.

Pandey did not name any member for making the accusations. Those aware of the development said Pandey may have referred to Samajwadi Party member Pallavi Patel’s observations about the chair recently.

Samajwadi Party member Sangram Yadav said nothing that may hurt the speaker has been said. He said no member of his party would make any objectionable statement in future.

SP member Mehboob Ali said the speaker was empowered to take action. Minister for parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna said upholding the dignity of the speaker’s chair was the duty of both the government and the Opposition. He said the house had full respect for the chair and was with Mahana on the issue.