Attendance for members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha will now be recorded online. MPs can register their attendance using thumb impressions, PINs, or cards via MMD devices while seated at their seats. This new system will save time and simplify the process.
New Delhi: The process for recording attendance for Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Lok Sabha has now become completely digital. MPs can now record their attendance online via a multimedia device (MMD) while seated at their allocated seats. This system is being implemented from this session. It will save time and make the process more convenient. This facility has not yet been introduced in the Rajya Sabha.
MMD Transforms Attendance Tradition
Until now, MPs in the Lok Sabha had to stand in line every day to sign the attendance register to mark their presence. But now, this process has become completely digital in the new Parliament. The Lok Sabha Secretariat has initiated a new system of recording the attendance of MPs through multimedia devices (MMD) from this session. This device will be installed at the MPs' allocated seats, and they can record their attendance while seated there.
How the MMD System Works
MMD, or Multi Media Device, is a digital system through which MPs can register their attendance in three ways – thumb impression, PIN number, or through a special multimedia card. This process is not only simple for the MPs but also secure and fast. Now they will not need to stand in line to enter the Lok Sabha or for signing.
Attendance to be Recorded from MPs' Seats
Under the new system, MPs will not need to go to any register or separate counter to record their attendance. They can use the MMD directly from their seats. This facility will be available to every MP before the proceedings of the Parliament begin.
Old System Still in Use in Rajya Sabha
While this digital attendance system has been introduced in the Lok Sabha, the old system will continue in the Rajya Sabha for now. MPs in the Rajya Sabha will still have to sign in the tablet through their thumb impression or stylus. This change is being implemented first in the lower house on the initiative of the Lok Sabha Speaker.
This digital change will also save the valuable time of the MPs. Parliament runs for an average of 70 days a year. An MP spends 2 to 3 minutes per day recording their attendance. With this new process, each MP will save approximately three and a half hours annually.
