When Are Mics Turned Off In Lok Sabha? Om Birla Explains Amid Big Charge By Rahul Gandhi

Amid the allegations of Opposition leader's mics being turned off for raising various issues in the Lok Sabha, Speaker Om Birla sought to explain who controls the microphones in the House.

Amid the heated debate between the ruling party and the Opposition in Parliament on Monday, July 1, over the issue of mics being switched off, Om Birla sought to bring in clarification. Leader Of  Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi again raised the issue of the mic being switched off while he was speaking in the House.

He asked Speaker Om Birla who had the control of this mic. "Whenever we say something like this, the mic goes off. Even today when I mentioned the word Ayodhya, the mic went off. Speaker Om Birla interrupted him and answered."

When Is An MP's Mic Turned On?

Speaker Om Birla said that an MP's mic is switched on as soon as the Speaker's name is announced.

Replying to Rahul Gandhi, Om Birla said: "You have said this several times outside the Parliament as well. I have repeatedly requested not to make such allegations against the [Speaker's] Chair. People from all parties sit on the Chair. Everyone knows that there is a system. The mic of an honourable member, who is requested to speak, is switched on and the mic of the one who is not requested to speak is not switched on." "The remote control of the mics are never in the hands of the Speaker," he added.

If the Speaker has not announced a name then the mic remains off

Om Birla further said, "When you stood up to speak, your mic has never been switched off. If the person sitting on the chair does not call out your name, the mic does not turn on. This system has been going on since this House began. The person sitting on the Chair [Speaker] never has control over the mic."  

Reminding Rahul Gandhi, that he was the leader of the Opposition, Om Birla said he is expected to follow the procedure of the Lok Sabha and the rules of Conduct under the Constitution. On this Rahul Gandhi said: "But it is true that the microphone gets switched off in the middle of my speech. You saw that I used the word Ayodhya and the mike got switched off."

Who Controls Mics In Lok Sabha?

The control of the mics installed in the Parliament is with a separate team of audio technicians. The specialists sit separately and their job is to regulate the microphones in the House as per the Speaker's permission. They turn on the mic of whoever is allowed by the Chair to speak. Only one mic remains on in the House at a time.