Where’s the Minister, asks Speaker; says Question Hour more important than meetings

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) expressed displeasure over the absence of a senior Minister during the Question Hour when questions about his Ministry were being asked.

Though the Speaker did not name anyone, the question was regarding the Postal Department, which comes under Communication Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

“Where has the Minister gone,” Mr. Birla asked when the question was being fielded by Minister of State for Communication Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani. 

When the MoS replied that the senior Minister had gone for an “important meeting”, Mr. Birla said, “The Question Hour is important, not meeting.”

Earlier, Mr. Birla had urged members not to speak among themselves when the House takes up obituary references.

Tributes were paid to former member Kavuru Sambasiva Rao who passed away last week as soon as the House met for the day. The members stood in silence for a brief while as a mark of respect.

Soon after the obituary reference, an anguished Mr. Birla told the members that it was not a good practice to chat with each other when the House was paying tributes to members who have passed away.