Speakers says absence of MPs in LS 'very bad'

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Monday expressed her frustration over the absence of some members in the House, saying it was a "very bad" trend.

The Speaker's comment came when the House took up a question relating to prices of petroleum products during Question Hour and both questioners BJP's Nalin Kumar Kateel (Karnataka) and CPI-M's P K Sreemathi Teacher (Kerala) were absent. "It is very bad that members are not present," she observed.

As Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Kerala are due on May 16, many Lok Sabha MPs belonging to the two states have remained absent in this session which began on April 25. Many MPs belonging to West Bengal, which saw a six-phase assembly election, too remained absent in most of the days of this session.