Recliners to be arranged for Karnataka legislators for quick nap during Budget session

IANS February 25, 2025 219 views

Karnataka Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader has arranged for 15 recliner chairs to be installed in the Vidhana Soudha lobby during the upcoming Budget session. The initiative aims to prevent legislators from leaving permanently after lunch by providing comfortable spaces for short naps. Rather than purchasing the recliners permanently, they'll be rented from March 3-21 specifically for the session period. This change follows other reforms by Khader including meal service, attendance tracking, and publicly acknowledging punctual legislators.

"The sofa like recliners would enable MLAs to have siesta and after the short break they will take part in the session with the remaining period." - Speaker U.T. Khader
Bengaluru, Feb 25: To boost the attendance of MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly during the Budget session, Speaker U.T. Khader on Tuesday decided to arrange for recliner facilities for the legislators.

Key Points

1

Recliners will be rented, not purchased, to avoid wasteful spending

2

Decision made after positive feedback from previous trial installation

3

Speaker previously introduced meals and attendance tracking for legislators

4

Budget presentation scheduled for March 7 amid expected opposition confrontations

Khader, who is initiating proactive steps in the Assembly, is behind the idea.

It has been decided to rent out 15 recliners initially from March 3 to 21 and they will be installed at the lobby of the Vidhana Soudha.

The step is implemented based on the feedback from the senior MLAs and observance of the trend of MLAs not returning to participate in the session once they step out from the House after lunch.

Khader has opined that the sofa like recliners would enable MLAs to have siesta and after the short break they will take part in the session with the remaining period.

It has also been decided to avoid purchasing them as it would be waste of money as recliners would not used all the time. Hence, it has been decided to rent them during the session and once the session ends, they will be removed from the premises.

In July 2024, during the Legislative Session, Speaker Khader had installed one recliner chair and after the feedback from MLAs who expressed their happiness over the recliner facility, the decision is taken to install more recliners.

Khader had also introduced serving of breakfast, lunch, tea-coffee and snacks was introduced considering practical issues of MLAs during the session.

The Speaker had also started taking attendance of MLAs who came promptly at the beginning of the session, attended all the sessions and appreciated them.

Khader also called out those who came late and did not attend the session.

He had got an Artificial Intelligence system to track the attendance of MLAs.

Karnataka Assembly session is all set to witness a high drama, as the Opposition BJP and JD (S) are waiting to target the ruling Congress over plethora of contentious issues.

CM Siddaramaiah will present the Budget for the financial year 2025-26 on March 7.

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Karnataka Assembly U.T. Khader MLA attendance Budget Session Vidhana Soudha Siddaramaiah Legislative reforms
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