UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana Asks Members to Submit Affidavits Before Making Allegations in House

Lucknow | December 24, 2025 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana on Tuesday issued a clear warning to all members of the House, saying that allegations against any individual or government must be supported with affidavits submitted in advance. His remarks came amid a heated exchange between the treasury benches and the opposition during the ongoing winter session of the Assembly. The Speaker made the statement after Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey raised concerns about the way government ministers respond to questions from opposition members. Pandey alleged that instead of giving direct answers, ministers often shift focus by making accusations against previous governments without providing proof. During the Question Hour, Pandey referred to a recent response by Minister of State for Basic Education (Independent Charge) Sandeep Singh. The minister was answering a question related to the condition of government schools in the state. According to Pandey, Singh had claimed that during earlier governments, transfers of teachers and staff were allegedly carried out in exchange for money. Pandey objected strongly to this claim and said that there are established rules in the Assembly that require any allegation to be backed by evidence. He warned that if such remarks continue without proof, the opposition would also be forced to respond in a similar manner, which could lower the standard of debate in the House. “As per the rules, allegations should not be made without evidence. This practice must stop. Otherwise, we too will start replying in the same way,” Pandey said while addressing the Speaker. In response, Finance Minister Suresh Khanna came to the defence of Sandeep Singh. He clarified that the minister had not named any political party or specific government while making his statement. Khanna argued that Singh had only referred to a general period in the past, mentioning events before the year 2000, and did not directly accuse the Samajwadi Party or any other administration. “If you carefully look at the proceedings, the minister never named any government or party. He spoke in general terms about a period, not about any specific political group,” Khanna told the House. As the discussion grew more intense, Speaker Satish Mahana intervened to restore order and set a clear standard for future debates. Addressing all members, he said that from now on, anyone making allegations in the Assembly must submit an affidavit to his office beforehand. “I want to make it clear to all members that before making any allegations in this House, affidavits should be sent to my table. This rule will apply equally to all 403 members of the Assembly,” Mahana said. The Speaker stressed that the directive would not target any single party and would be applicable to both the ruling side and the opposition. He said the purpose of this instruction was to maintain dignity, discipline, and fairness in the proceedings of the House. Mahana’s statement was seen as an effort to prevent unverified claims and personal attacks from dominating legislative discussions. By insisting on affidavits, the Speaker aims to ensure that debates remain focused on facts, governance, and public issues rather than political blame games. The exchange highlighted ongoing tensions between the government and the opposition during the winter session, with both sides accusing each other of avoiding accountability. While the opposition continues to demand direct and transparent answers, the government maintains that it is being unfairly targeted. With the Speaker’s latest directive, future debates in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly are expected to be more cautious, as members may now think twice before making allegations without documented proof. UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana Asks Members to Submit Affidavits Before Making Allegations in House A strong message was sent out from the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday as Speaker Satish Mahana made it clear that allegations inside the House will no longer be taken lightly. During the winter session in Lucknow, Mahana said that any member who wants to make allegations against a person, party, or government must first submit an affidavit to his office. The statement came after Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey raised concerns over how government ministers respond to questions. Pandey said that instead of giving clear answers, ministers often make claims against previous governments without proof. He cited an example from Question Hour, where Minister of State for Basic Education Sandeep Singh spoke about alleged irregularities in transfers during earlier governments while replying to a question on the condition of schools. Pandey objected and reminded the House that rules require allegations to be backed by evidence. He warned that if such practices continue, the opposition would also respond in the same way, which could affect the dignity of the Assembly. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna defended the minister, saying no political party or government was named. According to him, the remarks were general and referred to a past period, not to any specific administration. As the exchange grew tense, Speaker Mahana stepped in and laid down a clear rule. He said affidavits must be submitted before making allegations and stressed that this rule would apply equally to all 403 members, whether from the government or the opposition. Mahana said the aim is to keep debates factual, respectful, and meaningful. The move is being seen as an effort to stop unverified claims and improve the quality of discussion in the House. With this direction, future Assembly debates are likely to be more careful and evidence-based.