"The reforms have become necessary to ensure total accountability of the executive to the legislature, improve quality of debate on issues of public importance, and uphold ethics and dignity of the house," Speaker Y Ramakrishnudu said here today.

A set of recommendations, made by the sub-committee on revamping the House rules, would be placed before the Assembly, which will commence its ten-day monsoon session on Thursday, he said.

Referring to objections raised over the proposal to automatically suspend a member for crossing the podium, the Speaker clarified that it was not aimed at restricting the rights of members. It was only meant to inculcate self-discipline and ensure orderly transaction of business.

"Thepodium area will now be clearly defined and any member crossing the limit will automatically invite suspension. This, however, does not amount to restricting the democratic right to protest," Ramakrishnudu said.

The setting up of standing committees, on the lines of Parliamentary committees, was another major reform being contemplated, the speaker said. These committees would scrutinise government bills, before and after their introduction in the house, and periodically monitor their implementation As many as seven State Assemblies in the country including Kerala and West Bengal had set up standing committees which were functioning "very well". A similar model needed to be adopted in the state, he said.

Expressing displeasure over the casual functioning of various house committees and sluggish response of the bureaucracy to their recommendations, the Speaker said a six-month time-frame was being proposed to come out with action taken reports on suggestions made by these committees.

"I have recentlytaken the initiative to persuade the government departments to expedite their response to action committee reports. Where is the sanctity for legislature when thousands of such recommendations are still pending with the government," he wondered.

The sub-committee, with senior-most member in the House Y Raja Rao (TDP) as convener, has also recommended that ministers should send in replies within three days to questions raised by members during zero hour.

The recommendations of the sub-committee would be discussed at a full-fledged meeting of the rules committee on Thursday next, the Speaker said. Reforms, after adoption by the house, would become a part of the permanent rules.

He lamented that the House's precious time was being squandered away in petty political fights and there had been inadequate debate on important bills.