Page 17 - Guide to Parliament House

GUIDE TO PARLIAMENT HOUSE
Seating Arrangement : The Chamber was originally designed with a floor area
of 3688 sq. ft. and seating arrangement for 148 Members. After the First General
Election in 1951-52 the Chamber was remodelled and the floor area was increased
to 4804 sq. ft. to provide accommodation to 450 Members. With the subsequent
increase in membership of the House, the seating accommodation was further increased.

At present, the Chamber has seating accommodation for 530 Members. The
seats are divided into six blocks, each with eleven rows, in semi-eircular shape. A
seat is reserved for each Member now in the Chamber so that he can operate the
automatic rating device from his own seat. The seating arrangement at present
ia asfollows:—
(i) Fixed seats with desks in the first two
rows 46
(ii) FSxed seats without desks . . . 484

TOTAL . . . 530

The seats on the right hand side of the Speaker's Chair are occupied by the
Members of the Government Party and those on the left hand side by Members
belonging to the Opposition Parties/Groups. The Deputy Speaker occupies the
first front row seat on the left side.

At the time of re-modelling the seating arrangement in the Chamber, an oppor­
tunity was taken to replace the old brick wall supporting the Public Gallery by twelve
marble columns which have greatly enhanced the beauty of the Chamber. The old
teak-wood panelling has been refitted on the wall behind these columns to restore the
original appearance of the Chamber.

Table of the House ; In the well of the Chamber just below the Speaker's Chair
is the table for the Secretary of the House. In front of him is placed a large table
for other officers of the House and Official Reporters. The following photographs
give the general layout of seating arrangements and the general environment of the
Chamber :

Loh Sabha Chamber