AP Speaker Flags MLAs Skipping Assembly Sessions, Calls for ‘No Work, No Pay’
Ayyannapatrudu seeks legal reforms to curb unethical conduct and ensure accountability
Vijayawada: In a strong pitch for greater accountability in legislatures, Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh assembly Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu on Wednesday proposed a strict “No Work, No Pay” rule for public representatives who do not participate in the proceedings.
If absenteeism continues despite this, he said, voters should be empowered with a constitutional right to recall to remove non-performing legislators.
Patrudu was speaking at the 86th all-India presiding officers’ conference in Lucknow, on the theme, “Legislative accountability to the people.” He expressed concern over the growing tendency of elected members skipping the assembly sessions while continuing to draw salaries and allowances.
Citing the situation in the AP Assembly, Ayyanna Patrudu said since the June 2024 elections, some MLAs have not attended the house even for a single day. Nor did they participate in debates or discussions.
“Despite their absence, many continue to receive regular pay and perks. This is deeply disturbing and unethical, and it diminishes the credibility of legislatures in the eyes of the public,” he observed.
The Speaker noted that there currently are no clear-cut rules to penalise legislators who remain absent without justification. He urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to provide guidance and initiate reforms to address this serious institutional gap.
The conference was attended also by Deputy Speaker Raghu Rama Krishna Raju and Assembly secretary-general Prasanna Kumar.
Placing two key proposals before the conference, Ayyanna Patrudu said, “Just as government employees face salary cuts for unauthorised absence, elected representatives too should be subject to the No Work, No Pay principle if they do not attend legislative sittings.
If lawmakers continue to neglect their responsibilities, the Constitution or the Representation of the People Act should be amended to grant voters the right to recall their representatives.
The Speaker also voiced concern over the steady decline in the number of legislative working days across the country, describing it as a sign of institutional ill-health. Legislatures, he stressed, must function for at least 60 days a year to ensure meaningful Question Hours, debates and scrutiny of the executive, thereby upholding democratic accountability.