Need to raise standard of discussions in Parliament, state assemblies: LS speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said there is a need to raise the standard of discussions in Parliament and state assemblies to identify loopholes of proposed laws.

He was addressing the closing ceremony of the Seventh Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, India Region, Conference at the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly here.

"There is a need to raise the standard of discussions which take place inside Parliament and legislative assemblies. The more a proposed law is studied before it actually becomes a law, chances are more that it will be made in the correct direction," Birla said.

The people have given legislators the responsibility of making laws and "discussions should be held as to how can we raise the standard, how people will benefit from a proposed law or what are the possible loopholes," he said.

The Lok Sabha speaker said that it was decided at a meeting in Dehradun that before a state government brings a law, MLAs should deliberate as to why the law is being enacted and go through its provisions.

The MLAs should also hold discussions with people before a law is enacted, Birla said.

For this, the Lok Sabha will assist state assemblies, he said, adding that elected public representatives act as a bridge between the people and the government.

Lok Sabha and state assembly libraries and details of debates and discussions will be made accessible to elected representatives across the country, he said.

Birla said a committee will soon take a decision in this regard.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has over 180 branches in legislatures of commonwealth countries. These branches are geographically grouped into nine commonwealth regions.

CPA India region was earlier a part of the CPA Asia region and it became an independent region from September 7, 2004.

The regional representatives from CPA Australia, CPA South East Asia region are among the 100 delegates attending the conference here.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, state legislative assembly Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit and state legislative council chairman Ramesh Yadav also addressed the gathering.

The India Region of the CPA has its India Union Branch (Parliament of India) and chapters in 30 states and union territories branches.