KC Venugopal (left), Om Birla (right)

New Delhi: In a letter to Speaker Om Birla, Congress MP KC Venugopal said the passage of the motion of thanks to the President’s joint address without a reply by PM Narendra Modi, and in his absence from Lok Sabha on Wendnesday, constitutes procedural irregularities.Venugopal said Rule 20 mandates that the PM explain the position of the govt at the end of the discussion, and if he is unable to do so, he should inform the House. He said Modi’s absence during the passage of the motion, after his failure to reply, has violated Rule 20.He said a debate is concluded by the reply of the minister concerned, and if a debate is to be closed without a reply, a motion under Rule 362 is to be moved by a member.The Congress MP said the motion of thanks was passed abruptly without any of the procedures being adhered to.“I request you to apprise the house of the procedure followed by you in dealing with the PM’s reply to the debate and also the closure of the debate. A proper analysis of the concerned rules and the procedure adopted by you will greatly benefit the House,” he said.