Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday chaired a meeting of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies in India in Parliament House Complex, New Delhi, and deliberated on strengthening the Anti-Defection law and enhancing the number of sittings of state legislatures among others.
Speaking on the occasion, Birla highlighted that debates and discussions in legislatures should be dignified and every member should conduct themselves in a manner that will add to the dignity and decorum of the House. There should not be any disruption during Addresses of President and Governor, he said.
Presiding officers should meet regularly and discuss these issues so that meaningful discussion takes place in legislatures, he added.
Issues including strengthening anti-defection law, awards to outstanding legislatures and minimum number of sittings of legislatures were also discussed in the meeting.
Strengthening Anti-Defection Law: Birla said that presiding officers, constitution experts, legal scholars and other stakeholders will be consulted for amendments to the law.
Expunction of certain words from parliamentary proceedings: Birla urged the presiding officers to inform the members that no word has been banned but the words which have been expunged from the proceedings as per the directions of the chair have been compiled.
Number of sittings of State Legislatures: Presiding officers should guide the members for dignified conduct in the House, said Birla. He added that efforts must be made to enhance the number of sittings of State Legislatures.
Need for a single platform for information about legislatures: Birla said a single digital platform is being prepared and debates of all the legislatures in the country will soon be available on this platform. He sought cooperation from the Presiding Officers for sharing of debates of State legislatures so that a robust digital platform can be prepared.
Uniformity of rules and procedures, Birla said that uniformity of rules and procedures for all democratically elected legislative bodies, including Panchayats, will strengthen democracy from grassroots level onwards.
CPA Conference
Birla said a Parliamentary Delegation under his leadership will attend the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference to be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada from 20-26 August 2022. He added that 181 delegates from 54 countries, including 27 delegates from legislative bodies in India, will attend the Conference.
CPA Zones in India increased
Birla also said that the number of CPA Zones in India have been increased from three to nine in order to ensure active participation, and extensive discussions of State Legislatures within the framework of the CPA.
The presiding officers also discussed about the implementation of the resolutions adopted in POs Conference at Shimla and Guwahati.
The deputy chairman, Rajya Sabha and presiding officers from 17 states and Union territories took part in the meeting.
