Page 25 - Guide to Parliament House

GUIDE TO PARLIAMENT HOUSE

At the Secretary's Table, there is a Key Board for operating the Automatic
Vote Recording Equipment, At the time of Division, the Secretary presses the
specific button intended for the type of voting required. This is followed automati­
cally by the sounding of a gong which is a signal to Members to cast
their votes.

For casting the votes, each Member presses the push switch and simultaneously
operates one of the three push buttons according to his choice. The push button
and the push switch are kept pressed simultaneously until the gong sounds for the
second time after ten seconds which are depicted by the rhythmic lighting of 12
red bulbs one after the other, on the Time Indicator Boards installed in the two
corners on the railing below the Press Gallery.

There are two Lamp Field Indicator Boards installed on the wall on either side
of the Speaker's Chair. For the seat of each Member there is a corresponding lamp
field with four different coloured bulbs representing 'AYES', 'NOES', 'ABSTAIN*
or 'PRESENT' fixed on the board. With the pressing of the push button and the
push switch by a Member, a light showing the way a Member has voted will flash on
the board.

Immediately after sounding the second gong the Equipment totals up the votes
and flashes the result on the Result Indicator Boards installed on the railings of the
Speaker's and Diplomatic Galleries. The result is also flashed on the Indicator
Board installed on the Secretary's Table as also on the Board provided in the Machine
Room where it is photographed for keeping a permanent record of voting. The
whole process from the time of ringing of the usual division bells to the time of declara­
tion of result takes normally not more than four minutes.

Electric Fittings : The Chamber is completely air-conditioned and is fitted with
fluorescent concealed lighting. Provision has been made for cooling and heating
the Chamber on modern scientific lines. There is separate heating arrangement for
the seat of each Member. At the foot of each Member's seat there is a specially
designed 300 watt heater which the Member can switch on or off as he pleases.

Gilded Emblems: In the parapet of the Galleries of Lok Sabha Chamber on the
First Floor are fitted 35 gilded emblems pertaining to the Provinces of Undivided
India and certain erstwhile British Dominions and colonies.

Portrait : With a view to perpetuating the memory of the late Vithalbhai J.
Patel, the first elected President of the Indian Legislative Assembly, who held that
office from 24-8-1925 to 28-4-1930, his portrait was installed in the Assembly Cham­
ber (now the Chamber of the Lok Sabha) on the 8th March, 1948. It is fixed to the
wood-work below the public gallery and is opposite the Speaker's seat.

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