NEW DELHI: The proceedings in the Lok Sabha on Monday went on smoothly in the first hour with the House taking up the Question Hour. However, there was commotion for a brief period when Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and his party colleague K C Venugopal raised objections saying an official in the officers' gallery was "taking notes of the proceedings".
This looks like "surveillance" as the officer is standing and doing a head count on who is present and who is not, Kharge alleged.
After heated and marathon debate on the No Confidence Motion on Friday, the atmosphere in morning as the House reassembled after the weekend looked calm and quite.
Even protesting TDP and YSRCP members from Andhra Pradesh did not raise slogans or rushed to the well.
In fact, TDP members, including Jayadev Galla and former Union Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju and YSRCP member Renuka Butta were up on their feet at designated places of seating and carried placards demanding Special Category status for the bifurcated state of Andhra Pradesh.
Among senior members, L K Advani (BJP), Sonia Gandhi (Congress) and H D Deve Gowda (JD-S) were present in the House right from beginning and questions pertaining to the Ministries of HRD, Petroleum and Natural Gas and Tribal Affairs were taken up.
However, there was mild pandemonium for a brief period when Congress floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge and his party colleague K C Venugopal raised objections saying an official in the officers' gallery was "taking notes of the proceedings".
This looks like "surveillance" as the officer is standing and doing head count on who is present and who is not, alleged Mr Kharge saying this is a matter of privilege of the House.
He was soon supported by members from Left parties including P Karunakaran and P K Sreemathi Teacher - both CPI-M.
However, Mr Kharge's observations were strongly countered by the treasury bench.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Meghwal said the official was from Parliamentary Affairs Ministry and was simply doing his job.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan assured agitating Mr Kharge and others that she would look into the matter.