Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular leader Jitan Ram Manjhi has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking adequate speaking opportunities for Members of Parliament belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities during discussions on important Bills.
According to the report, Manjhi raised the matter in a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker after BJP MP Gajendra Singh Patel brought up the issue during an NDA MPs Group Dialogue Meeting held at Manjhi’s residence in New Delhi on August 5.
Patel represents Khargone in Madhya Pradesh, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates. He told the media that SC and ST MPs should receive sufficient opportunities to participate in parliamentary debates, particularly when Parliament discusses legislation and matters affecting their communities.
Manjhi’s letter was dated September 16. In the communication, he referred to the concern raised during the August meeting and requested the Lok Sabha Speaker to take further action on the matter. He also sought necessary directions to the authorities concerned so that the request could be considered within the parliamentary system.
The issue concerns the allocation of speaking time during parliamentary debates. Speaking opportunities in the Lok Sabha are governed by parliamentary procedures and the allocation of time for debates can depend on several factors, including the subject under discussion and the distribution of time among political parties and members.
Patel explained that the concern was not that SC and ST MPs receive no opportunity to speak. Instead, he said the request was for additional time because the speaking time allotted to a political party is divided among its MPs. He said that increasing the available time could provide greater opportunity for MPs from these communities to raise issues relating to their constituencies and communities.
The request comes from members associated with the ruling National Democratic Alliance. Manjhi is the leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular, which is part of the NDA. He is also a Lok Sabha member from Gaya in Bihar and serves as Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Parliament’s official records identify him as an elected member representing Gaya, a Scheduled Caste reserved constituency.
Gajendra Singh Patel is a BJP Lok Sabha member representing Khargone in Madhya Pradesh. Parliamentary records show that he is serving his second term in the Lok Sabha. The constituency is reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
The demand highlights the broader question of representation and participation in parliamentary debates. Members of Parliament from reserved constituencies represent voters from across their constituencies, while some also raise issues specifically concerning communities covered by constitutional safeguards and affirmative action policies.
Manjhi has asked the Speaker to consider Patel’s request and take appropriate steps. The request, as reported, is not a proposal to change the constitutional reservation system for parliamentary seats. Instead, it focuses specifically on opportunities for MPs to speak during discussions in the House.
The timing of the request is also significant because Parliament regularly considers Bills dealing with legislation affecting different sections of society. MPs often seek opportunities to place constituency-level and community-specific concerns on record during such debates.
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is responsible for conducting proceedings of the House in accordance with parliamentary rules and established procedures. The allocation of speaking opportunities is part of the wider process through which debates are organised in Parliament.
The concern raised by Patel and subsequently taken up by Manjhi therefore relates to parliamentary participation rather than the election or reservation status of SC and ST representatives.
Patel said the request was also based on a sentiment expressed by other MPs at the meeting. The Hindu reported that he described the August meeting as an informal discussion and said the issue was raised by several participants rather than being solely his individual demand.
The development has brought attention to the way speaking time is distributed among MPs. Parliamentary debate requires time to be divided among political parties and individual members, particularly when several MPs seek to participate in discussions on important legislation.
Manjhi’s intervention asks the Speaker to examine whether additional arrangements can be made to provide SC and ST MPs with adequate opportunities to raise issues concerning their communities.
There has been no reported decision from the Lok Sabha Speaker on the request at the time of the latest reports. Therefore, the request should be understood as an appeal for consideration rather than an announced change in parliamentary procedure.
The matter also comes amid wider discussions about the participation of MPs in parliamentary proceedings. The Lok Sabha has established procedures governing debates, questions, legislative business and the conduct of members. The Speaker oversees the functioning of the House and determines proceedings within the framework of parliamentary rules.
For now, the main issue raised by Manjhi is whether SC and ST MPs should receive greater speaking opportunities during important legislative discussions. His letter asks Om Birla to consider the concern and issue appropriate directions if necessary.
The request by an NDA ally and the BJP MP who raised the matter shows that the issue has been brought to the attention of the Lok Sabha Speaker from within the ruling alliance itself. Any decision on the request would depend on the Speaker and the applicable parliamentary procedures.
The development is likely to keep the focus on how different groups of MPs participate in debates and how speaking time is distributed when Parliament takes up important Bills. For SC and ST MPs, the request is specifically aimed at ensuring sufficient opportunity to present issues concerning their communities on the floor of the House.
