Friday, April 22 2005 16:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Indore: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today (Apr 22, 2005) agreed to a suggestion that people should have a "right to recall" an elected member of the House and expressed fear over growing judicial intervention in political matters.

"Yes I agree there should be a law on right to recall," Chatterjee said when asked whether people should not have a right to recall an elected representative of the House on the ground of 'non-performance' at 'meet the press programme' organised by Indore Press Club in Indore.

On the issue of growing judicial intervention specially with reference to Jharkhand and whether it will not lead to a conflict between legislature and judiciary, the Speaker said: "That is my fear, but I hope it will not happen."

However, Chatterjee clarified that he does not have any doubt on the issue of apex court's order as it is the country's Supreme Court order and one has to obey it.

Chatterjee said that in the Presiding Officer's conference called by him in the backdrop of apex court order on the Jharkhand issue, a resolution was passed and sent to the Government stating it has been decided that the apex court will be approached again for its fresh opinion on the issue.

He clarified that he has not spoken anything against the Supreme Court on the issue.

The Speaker also pointed out that Jharkhand imbroglio was not solved with judicial intervention, but with the Prime Minister's efforts. He, however, added that he has full confidence in the judiciary.

The Lok Sabha Speaker said that he was of the opinion that members should maintain "dignity of the house" and added that he wished that there should be a "harmonious functioning" between all the organs of the State.

The Government was not formed in Bihar due to the split verdict and this was not good, Chatterjee said.

Referring to the steps taken to maintain order during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Chatterjee informed that the members were advised to raise the matters of national and international level only in the zero hour and they are asked to submit the same to Speaker's office the same day in morning so that permission would be given to them to raise the issue.

On salaries and perks for the members of the house, he said that it has been decided from now on that it will be decided by MPs Salary Allowance Commission and not by the members themselves, as was the practice earlier.

On delimitation of constituencies, he said that the exercise was going on but added that there is no need for enhancing the number of seats in Parliament.