Who has fingers on microphone switches in Parliament?

Who controls the microphones of MPs in Parliament? Even the Lok Sabha secretariat apparently does not have the answer, or perhaps will not answer. Instead, it has transferred the request to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

In June 2024, the Congress had pointed out that the microphone of leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was turned off as he raised the issue of the NEET paper leak in the Lok Sabha. Gandhi was even seen requesting speaker Om Birla for access to the microphone. Birla had then stated that he was not in charge of the microphones used by MPs in the Lok Sabha.

Under the RTI (Right to Information) Act, rights activist Kanhaiya Kumar (not the Congress leader) had requested the Lok Sabha secretariat to provide details of the authority which controls the microphones during any session of the Lower House.

However, the secretariat transferred the matter to CPWD-HQ, which in turn transferred it to CPWD Project Region Delhi. Finally, the CPWD Project Region Delhi forwarded it to four different sections of the Delhi office.

The Central Vista Project Zone (Civil)-I, the first department, rejected the request stating that the information sought did not pertain to their office. The Parliament Civil Works Circle-I, the second department, also came up with the same reply. The third department too said the requested information did not pertain to them and that it could be considered ‘NIL information’.

The Central Vista Project Electrical Circle-2, the fourth department, failed to respond within the stipulated time, after which the first appeal was filed. Once the first appeal was filed, they too responded similarly, stating that it did not pertain to their office.

However, they did not transfer the matter to any other department. So as of now, it can be said the LS secretariat of the government of India has no information on who controls the microphones of MPs in the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, Congress and other opposition leaders have accused the authorities of intentionally muting Rahul Gandhi’s microphone to suppress his dissent on important national issues.

This isn't the first time Birla and the opposition have clashed over the issue. In July 2024, during Birla’s initial term as Lok Sabha speaker, Congress chief and leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge complained that his microphone was turned off while he was speaking in the Upper House, which he found “insulting”.

Gandhi also raised his concerns about “silencing” microphones of the Opposition during a session at the British House of Parliament in March. Additionally, former Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in his letter to the speaker in March 2023 alleged that his microphone had been muted for three days.

However, Birla has asserted that presiding officers do not have a switch or remote control to turn off members' microphones in the House. According to a manual issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat in May 2014, microphones are activated from the control room only when a member is granted permission by the speaker to speak. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have a sound technician chamber, staffed with personnel responsible for transcribing and recording parliamentary proceedings.

This chamber, equipped with an electronic board displaying members' assigned seat numbers, manages the microphones. It is fitted with a glass facade, allowing staff to monitor the presiding officers and MPs while controlling the microphones.