By IANS
New Delhi : After suggesting the ‘no work no pay’ principle for errant MPs, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee wants Indian voters to have the right to recall their parliamentary representatives if they do not rise to their expectations.
“I am in favour of introducing the principle of recall,” Chatterjee told reporters ahead of the 53rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, to be held here.
He said many countries use the ‘recall’ strategy for enforcing greater responsibility and accountability for parliamentarians. The speaker said the MPs were elected by the people who should have the power to recall them if they were found useless.
The Lok Sabha is hosting the 10-day Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, beginning Friday in Vigyan Bhawan.
Chatterjee, who is also the president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), will inaugurate the conference on Sep 25.
The meet will have six workshops on climate change and global warming, global water and energy use, balancing economic development and environmental protection, parliamentary practice and procedure, role, rights and responsibilities of opposition, and strengthening financial scrutiny.
Chatterjee will also inaugurate the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference on Sep 24, which will have plenary sessions on ‘strategies to overcome barriers preventing women’s equal participation in decision making’ and ‘the role of women parliamentarians in dealing with HIV/AIDS and poverty alleviation’.