Illness in family most cited reason

Hyderabad: Actor-turned-BJP MP Hema Malini is among the MPs with least attendance in the Lok Sabha, 39 per cent.

She has cited her visits abroad for keeping away from the House. The 70-year-old MP from Mathura has participated in 17 debates against the national average of 65.3 per cent and participated in 0 private member’s Bill. The national average in Lok Sabha attendance is 80 per cent.

The actress, popular as Dream Girl, is not the only one with low House attendance. There are 43 members who kept away from the House for up to 59 days (two months). Till date, 43 MPs have taken long leave and submitted applications citing the reason for their absence.

“A majority cited illness in family as the reason for absence,” said Mr Rakesh Reddy D., a city-based election analyst who extracted the data.    

According to the date, 10 MPs stayed away because of elections, three mentioned constituency-related work while six applications from a BJD MP mentioned detention in jail. Three applications, including from Ms Hema Malini, mentioned visit abroad as the reason for absence. One application from Trinamool MP Sugata Bose mentioned a teaching assignment abroad.

YSRC MP Mr S.P.Y. Reddy had applied for leave beyond 60 days, but it was rejected. However, the committee asked the MP to apply afresh for the remaining days since it cannot recommend leave of absence for more than 59 days at one go.

Parliamentarians are supposed to submit leave application to the Speaker of the House, citing the reasons for absence. One single leave application cannot exceed 60 days. All the leave applications thus received are referred to the Committee on Absence of Members from the Sittings of the House.