Four-day Speakers' meet begins in Lucknow Friday

A four-day convention of presiding officers, speakers and secretaries of legislative assemblies and councils begins here Friday, officials said.

The convention will be chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and attended by speakers of all major states in the country.

The Akhilesh Yadav government has rolled out a red carpet to welcome the dignitaries, and elaborate security arrangements have been made to escort and secure the VVIPS who will begin coming to the state capital Thursday, an official informed IANS.

Inspector General (Law and Order) A. Satish Ganesh informed that all dignitaries would be provided with police escorts and security paraphernalia as per protocol and security assessment.

All major luxury hotels in the city, guest houses, government accommodations have been booked by the state government and traffic plans have been chalked out to ensure that there is neither inconvenience to the dignitaries nor to the common people, officials said.

Convener of the meet and state cabinet minister Ambika Chowdhary informed that the 77th convention of presiding officers of legislative assemblies will witness the attendance of the Lok Sabha speaker, deputy speaker Lok Sabha, deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, general secretary of the Rajya Sabha, speakers and deputy speakers of Vidhan Sabha's from 30 states, chairmen and deputy chairmen from six legislative councils.

The convention will start with the meeting of secretaries Jan 30 in which general secretaries of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will take part along with secretaries and principal secretaries of legislative assemblies.

On Jan 31, the convention would be addressed by the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. On Feb 1 and 2, the meet will discuss among other issues, making business in legislative bodies paperless...and more effective computerization.

-- Indo-Asian News Service

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