Strengthen Parl as an institution of accountability: Mahajan

Pitching for strengthening Parliament as an "institution of accountability", Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has underlined the importance of parliamentary research for effective legislative functioning in a conference here.
Speaking at the Standing Committee Meeting of Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) here yesterday, Mahajan, 73, pitched for the inclusion of 'parliamentary research' and 'parliamentary accountability' as topics for discussion in the next CSPOC conference to be held in January, 2018, in Seychelles, Lok Sabha secretariat said in a statement.
"During the meeting, the Speaker proposed to include two topics -- strengthening parliament as an institution of accountability and strengthening parliamentary research for effective legislative functioning -- in agenda of the next CSPOC," it said.

Both the topics suggested by the Speaker were included as the agenda topics of the plenary and workshop of the next conference, the statement added.
Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra also attended the conference.
The Standing Committee meeting of the CSPOC was attended by speakers and presiding officers from the Parliaments of various countries including Seychelles, United Kingdom, Canada, Malaysia, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Pakistan, New Zealand and Singapore among others.