Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has approved a major change in the seating arrangement of Members of Parliament ahead of the Monsoon Session. The new arrangement gives separate seats to the 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs who recently joined the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The move has also led to changes in the seats of several other MPs in the Lower House.

Officials familiar with the revised seating plan said the Speaker changed the division numbers and seats of 39 MPs to complete the exercise. The reshuffle became necessary after the rebel TMC lawmakers sought separate seating in the Lok Sabha following their political shift.

An official explained the reason behind the changes. "To allow them to sit separately meant making other members shift to new seats," an official said.

The revised seating arrangement has also changed the seat of Abhishek Banerjee, who leads the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in the Lok Sabha. His division number and seat have been updated as part of the overall reshuffle.

Apart from Abhishek Banerjee, a few other MPs have also received new seats. These include P. V. Midhun Reddy of the YSR Congress Party and Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal. Their seats have changed to accommodate the new seating plan approved by the Speaker.

Every Member of Parliament in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha receives a unique division number. Parliament uses this number to assign seats inside the House. Members also use the division number while signing official parliamentary documents and voting on Bills. Once the new arrangement comes into effect, the affected MPs will use their revised division numbers during parliamentary proceedings.

The new seating plan will take effect from the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which begins on Monday. All MPs whose seats have changed will occupy their new places from the start of the session.

The seating reshuffle follows another important decision taken by the Lok Sabha Speaker on Saturday. Om Birla approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The decision officially recognises the six MPs as members of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha.

On the same day, the Speaker also allowed the 20 rebel Trinamool Congress lawmakers to sit separately in the House. These MPs recently left the Trinamool Congress and joined the National Citizens Party of India, a relatively lesser-known political party. Their move created the need for a fresh seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha.

The revised division numbers play an important role in the daily functioning of Parliament. They help identify every MP during official business. The numbers also support parliamentary procedures, including attendance, documentation and voting. A change in seating, therefore, requires a corresponding change in division numbers.

The reshuffle affects MPs from different political parties, not just the TMC rebels. The changes ensure that the seating arrangement reflects the latest political developments in the Lok Sabha. Parliament officials completed the exercise before the beginning of the Monsoon Session to avoid any confusion during House proceedings.

The Speaker's decision highlights the administrative role of the Lok Sabha Secretariat in maintaining order inside the House. Whenever political changes affect party positions or parliamentary recognition, the seating plan and division numbers are updated to match the new situation.

With the revised arrangement now in place, the 20 rebel TMC MPs will sit together as members of the National Citizens Party of India. Other MPs whose seats have changed will also take their new positions when Parliament meets for the Monsoon Session on Monday. The updated seating plan marks one of the key administrative changes ahead of the new session of Parliament.