Speaker bans pan masala in Uttar Pradesh Assembly

Chewing pan masala and gutkha has been banned on the premises of the state legislative assembly. The violation of this rule will invite a penalty of ₹1,000.

“The use of pan masala and gutkha has been banned, with immediate effect, on the premises of Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. A fine of ₹1,000 will be imposed on any person, be it officials or other employees, found chewing the tobacco products on the premises,” said speaker Satish Mahana during an announcement in the House on Wednesday.

Mahana’s announcement came a day after he chided an MLA for spitting pan masala in the Vidhan Sabha. The speaker was informed about the incident before the commencement of the budget session of the House. He rushed to the spot near the treasury benches and got the floor cleaned.

Later, Mahana brought the issue to the notice of the House and said he expected that the MLA concerned should admit his mistake. He said he did not want to humiliate the member by identifying him though he had seen the video of him spitting on the floor. He asked all the members to ensure that if they see any of their colleagues spitting, then he/she should be stopped.