Karnataka speaker plans recliners for legislators for post-lunch comfort

Rather than purchasing the recliners, the Secretariat will rent them, as they are only needed for about three months each year when the Assembly is in session.

In a bid to increase attendance in the Karnataka Assembly, particularly during post-lunch hours, Speaker UT Khader has reportedly announced a plan to rent recliners for legislators who may need a brief power nap.

Khader, a former minister and five-time Congress MLA, has been actively introducing measures to ensure lawmakers remain engaged during Sessions. Previously, he arranged for complimentary breakfast and lunch within the Assembly premises, reducing the need for MLAs and MLCs to step out, as per an Indian Express report.

Under the new initiative, 15 recliners will be available in both the ruling and opposition party lounges before the upcoming Budget Session on March 3, states the report. The ruling Congress currently has 137 MLAs in the 225-member Assembly.

Rather than purchasing the recliners, the Secretariat will rent them, as they are only needed for about three months each year when the Assembly is in session.

Khader has also taken a tech-driven approach to tracking attendance, further states the report. Last year, he introduced AI-enabled cameras to monitor MLAs’ presence and participation, using a dashboard system to log their engagement levels. Additionally, during the Winter Session in Belagavi, he introduced complimentary meals while advancing the start of Question Hour, encouraging more lawmakers to be present at the beginning of each sitting.

The Speaker’s measures come amid long and intense Assembly sessions, some lasting well beyond midnight. On December 17, 2024, the Karnataka Assembly set a record with a 15-hour straight session, from 10 am to past midnight, with only brief adjournments and a lunch break.