Patna / New Delhi, Jan 20 (Agency) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday expressed his grave concern over repeated disruptions during sittings of parliament and state legislatures and called upon all political parties to seriously think over the issue for finding a way out. Birla, after inaugurating the two-day 85th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) being organised in Bihar after a long period of 43 years, here, said that repeated disruptions during sittings of parliament and state legislatures had taken a series turn. Time for constructive and useful debate in public interests in house, was being wasted due to disruptions, he pointed out. “The issue of disruptions was being discussed during the conference of presiding officers since long but a solution is not visible as yet”, the Lok Sabha Speaker said, adding, that it was time for all political parties to think and act for finding a solution to this serious issue.
All parties should formulate guidelines for its elected members on how to behave in house during its sittings, he suggested. Birla said that smooth proceedings of parliament and state legislatures would help in strengthening our democracy. Spirit of constitution should be protected in larger interests of democracy, he added. “Patna has his historical importance as Bihar has been the land of great saints like Lord Buddha and Mahaveer while it is also a pious place due to Jai Prakash Narayan and other great leaders”, the Speaker said and expressed his confidence that decision taken during the conference would leave its impact in improving the functioning of parliament and state legislatures in days ahead.
Even small democratic institutions like Panchayats and local bodies were also important and serious debate in public interests should also be held there, he added. Om Birla said that technology should also be used to improve the quality of functioning of the Parliament and state legislatures. Most of state legislatures had turned paperless and rest would also become paperless this year, the Speaker said. He said that attempt was being made to provide all details of proceedings of parliament and state legislatures on one platform.
It would help the elected representatives to get prepared for quality debate in House, Birla added. Vice Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Speaker of Bihar assembly Nand Kishore Yadav, Chairman of Bihar Legislative Council Awadhesh Narain Singh, Deputy Speaker of Bihar assembly Narendra Narayan Yadav and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and Bihar Rural Development Minister Shrawan Kumar also expressed their views on the occasion. Altogether 54 Presiding Officers of state legislatures from across the country participated in the Conference. Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan will address the valedictory session of the conference on Tuesday. The last conference of All India Presiding Officers’ was held in Bihar in 1982.