Two-day All India Whips Conference to begin tomorrow in Goa

The long-pending issue of codification of privileges and repeated disruptions in Parliament and state Assemblies will be among the crucial subjects to be discussed at the two-day meet of whips of Parliament and Legislatures beginning tomorrow in Goa.
Important issues such as taking up private members' bills and resolutions for a full day every week and the need for a 'Model Code of Conduct' for legislators will also be discussed at the 'All India Whips Conference', which will be inaugurated by Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.
Floor management in the House, increased role and accountability of whips, ways and means of ensuring continued presence of members in the Houses, increasing the volume of transaction of business and professional training and research assistance for legislators are also expected to be taken up for discussion among other issues.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Santosh Gangwar and Prakash Javadekar will also participate in the event.
The conference will also deliberate on 'Parliamentary Etiquette' as established by customs, conventions and rules a and will examine if a specified 'Model Code of Conduct' need to be evolved for adherence so as to enhance the stature of legislatures and their members.
The highlight of the eight-point Agenda of the conference will be the complex issue of the codification of privileges.

"In the context of diverse views on codification of privileges of legislatures and their members, this crucial issue will be debated by the whips of Parliament and legislatures and the ministers of parliamentary affairs of all states during a two day meet beginning on Monday in South Goa," a government release said.

Chief whips and whips from across the country and ministers of Parliamentary affairs ministers will deliberate on the issue of codification of privileges of legislatures and their members, in respect of which the Constitution of India has tasked the Parliament and state legislatures to define such privileges from time to time, which is still to be done.
"Over the years, a view has emerged against such codification. This issue acquired significance with academia and media demanding codification of privileges to end uncertainty in the matter and enable transparent functioning of Legislatures," the release said.
Holding that private members' bills and resolutions invites attention to issues of larger socio-economic concern, the government said that Parliament watchers have suggested that they there is need to give more time for these bills as against only two-and-a-half hours a week as given at present.

The two-day conference will be the 16th All India Whips Conference. It was organised first in 1952 in Indore.