LUCKNOW, May 16 -- Finance and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna was declared 'outstanding legislator' of the state on Friday, the first to be chosen for the honour in Uttar Pradesh. The decision was made at a meeting of the "Outstanding Legislator Committee" constituted under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly. Speaker Satish Mahana presided over the committee. Deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and leader of opposition (assembly) Mata Prasad Pandey were also present at the meeting. "This marks the first instance in the history of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly where an 'Outstanding Legislator' has been selected from among its members. A provision for constituting a committee to select an outstanding legislator was incorporated into the Assembly's Rules of Procedure in the year 2023," Mahana said in a press statement. The rules stipulate that the committee, presided over by the speaker, shall comprise a representative nominated by the chief minister, the deputy chief minister, the minister for parliamentary affairs, a senior member nominated by the speaker and a senior journalist nominated by the speaker. From among the 403 members of the assembly, the "outstanding legislator" is to be selected based on criteria such as extensive experience, specialised knowledge of parliamentary procedures, exceptional contributions within the House, and contributions made in various committees and other parliamentary contexts. "Selection of an outstanding legislator within the House would serve as an inspiration to newly elected members, encouraging them to strive for superior performance and make exemplary contributions to the House, thereby enabling them, too, to become ideal legislators," Mahana said. Elected from the Shahjahanpur assembly constituency for nine consecutive terms, Suresh Kumar Khanna is one of the senior-most members of the House. A special ceremony is proposed be held in the assembly at a future date to present the "outstanding legislator" award....