NEW DELHI: In an initiative aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and discipline in parliamentary functioning, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 announced that Members of Parliament (MPs) will be permitted to mark their attendance only when they are physically present inside the House and seated at their designated places. The new attendance rule will be implemented from the forthcoming Budget Session of Parliament.
Notably, the Budget Session of Parliament is set to began on January 28, with the Union Budget scheduled to be presented on February 1.
The Speaker conveyed this information during a brief interaction with media persons on the sidelines of the 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference. He stated that the earlier system, which allowed MPs to register their attendance from outside the House chamber while remaining within the Parliament premises, will now be discontinued.
“Attendance will now be recorded only when members are seated inside the House,” Birla said, emphasising the importance of seriousness, commitment and discipline in legislative functioning. He further clarified that no member will be allowed to mark attendance after the House has been adjourned, even in cases where adjournment occurs due to disruptions.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, the Speaker said the move has been taken to ensure that attendance genuinely reflects active participation in House proceedings rather than merely indicating presence within the Parliament complex. By linking attendance strictly to physical presence inside the House, the step is expected to encourage members to attend proceedings from the very beginning of each sitting and to remain present throughout debates and discussions.
Birla also informed that designated attendance consoles have already been installed at every seat inside the Lok Sabha chamber. He described this reform as part of a wider effort to modernise parliamentary procedures and enhance the overall productivity and efficiency of legislative sessions.
The Speaker further revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) tools are currently being tested for potential use in Parliament, and that manual verification mechanisms have been put in place to address any possible errors.
He added that real-time translation facilities are being experimented with during select meetings and are expected to become fully operational in the coming months. In addition, 24×7 research support services are being provided to ensure legislators have timely access to research papers and relevant reference material.
Expressing concern over the declining number of sittings in Legislative Assemblies across the country, Birla said that concerted efforts are being made to strengthen legislative institutions by improving their effectiveness, accountability and overall productivity. In this context, he noted that proposals related to prescribing a minimum number of sitting days for Legislative Assemblies have also been discussed earlier.
While reiterating that the responsibility of conducting the House rests with the Speaker, Birla stressed that the smooth and effective functioning of Parliament ultimately depends on active cooperation from both the government and the members.