Page 23 - Guide to Parliament House

GUIDE TO PARLIAMENT HOUSE
All the Galleries are provided with loud-speakers to enable the visitors to follow
the debate clearly. The first two rows of seats in the Press Gallery are provided with
writing desks. A few seats in the Press Gallery and the Diplomatic Gallery are
provided with headphones to enable their occupants to have the benefit of the simul­
taneous interpretation arrangement.
Acoustics : Originally there were no loud-speakers in the Chamber. A microphone
connected with two loud-speakers was installed for the first time in 1943 for the Chair.
Gradually their number increased and in 1950 there were 35 microphones and 26
loud-speakers fitted all over the Chamber and its Galleries. To remove several draw­
backs in the then existing system, a modem sound equipment on the pattern in­
stalled in British House of Commons was provided in the Chamber in 1951. This
new sound system was suggested by Shri G. V. Mavalankar, the then Speaker and
Shri M. N. kaul, ex-Secretary who had seen its working in the House of Commons
during their visit to London in 1948. The special features of this new system are as
follows:
There are twenty microphones suitably distributed in the six zones of the
Chamber. They are all on pedestal stands at a height of eight feet from
the ground except the one in front of the Prime Minister's seat; this
microphone is two feet lower. In addition, there is a microphone on a
table stand before the Speaker.
It is not necessaiy for a Member to move up to a microphone to speak. His
voice is picked up by the microphone from a distance of fifteen feet when
he speaks from his seat.

Each seat is provided with a low level loud-speaker. It is concealed in the
back of the seat and is covered by an outer grill carved with the Indian
National Emblem,

There are four separate loud-speakers provided for the benefit of the Speaker.
The Press and the Public Galleries are also provided with similar re­
producers. In addition to these units, the Press Gallery is provided
with separate loud-speakers in cabinets and the Public Galleries with
heavy duty "Circophone" speakers hung from the ceiling. The Circo-
phone speakers in the Public Galleries are fed by a separate amplifier
which enables a higher sound level to be maintained from these. This
amplifier is also connected to a set of loud-speakers in Rashtrapati Bhawan
to enable the President to follow the proceedings. The table of the
official reporters inside the House is provided with two separate loud­
speakers in wooden cabinets.
There are in all 645 reproducing units and loud-speakers inside the House: [
The sound transmitted through these microphones is controlled by preampli­
fiers from a Central Control Room situated in a corner of the House.-
When properly adjusted the sound is so mellow and natural that though
it is coming out of the tiny loud-speaker it will not be ordinarily
perceived as coming out from there except to a very keen ear.

The Operator seated in the Control Room has a full view of the whole House
through the transparent glass screen which forms part of the Control Room. When

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