Actor-politician and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan has come under scrutiny over his parliamentary performance after official records showed limited participation during his first year in the Upper House. Data available till July 31 indicates that the veteran actor attended just over half of the sittings and made only a handful of parliamentary interventions since taking oath in July 2025.
Attendance Drops After Initial Sessions
Haasan, who entered the Rajya Sabha with the backing of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, recorded an overall attendance of 51 per cent during his first year as a Member of Parliament. While he maintained strong attendance during the 2025 Monsoon and Winter Sessions, his participation reportedly declined sharply during the 2026 Budget Session.
He was also absent throughout the ongoing Monsoon Session, including on the day when Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill.
Limited Debates And Questions
Parliamentary records show that Haasan has participated in only one debate and submitted two questions during his tenure so far. The questions reportedly related to India’s thorium reserves and the country’s transition towards E20 fuel. Records further indicate that he has not introduced any Private Member’s Bill during the period.
Despite his parliamentary responsibilities, Haasan has continued his work in the film industry as an actor and producer.
Other Tamil Nadu MPs Show Higher Participation
Data also reflects significantly higher parliamentary engagement by several other MPs from Tamil Nadu who entered the Rajya Sabha during the same period.
Rajathi, another first-time MP, has maintained 97 per cent attendance, participated in numerous debates and submitted dozens of parliamentary questions. Fellow MP S.R. Sivalingam has also recorded higher participation through questions and debates.
Senior DMK MP P. Wilson has remained among the most active members of the House, with extensive participation in debates, hundreds of questions and several Private Member’s Bills. MPs from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have also registered higher parliamentary activity during the same period.
Expert Calls For Greater Parliamentary Engagement
Commenting on the figures, Chennai-based journalist K. Srinivasan, who is associated with the Sansad Ratna initiative recognising parliamentary performance, said Members of Parliament should make full use of the opportunity to represent public concerns.
He observed that MPs have access to research support and various parliamentary tools, making active participation essential. He also suggested that political parties should carefully evaluate candidates for legislative roles, arguing that sustained engagement inside Parliament is as important as public popularity.
Haasan’s office had not issued any response to media queries regarding the parliamentary performance data at the time the figures were reported.
