Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is slated to inaugurate an orientation programme for members of Bihar legislative assembly and legislative council in the State capital Patna on Thursday.

The orientation programme is being held on 17 February on the occasion of foundation day of Bihar legislative assembly, a note from the Lok Sabha secretariat Speaker’s stated here on Tuesday.

The Orientation Programme will be organized by Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), Lok Sabha Secretariat, in coordination with Bihar Legislative Assembly Secretariat for the Members of both Bihar Legislative Assembly and Bihar Legislative Council. A total of 318 Members of Bihar Legislature will attend the Orientation Programme at Central Hall of Bihar Legislature.

Speaker Om Birla will also launch Bihar Vidhan Sabha Digital TV and Bihar Vidhan Sabha Patrika on the occasion.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar; assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha; Leader of Opposition in the State assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and several other dignitaries will also take part in the programme, according to the Lok Sabha Secretariat note. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh will be present on the occasion.

The objective of the Orientation Programme is to familiarize the members with the working of the legislature and to promote profound knowledge and appreciation of the Legislature’s constitutional role, and its position as the supreme representative institution.

The programme will also emphasize on acquainting the members with the operational mechanisms, parliamentary traditions, conventions, and etiquette. The members will be sensitized on several subjects including ‘How to be an Effective Legislator’; ‘Privileges of Legislatures and their members’; ‘Parliamentary Customs, Conventions and Etiquette’; ‘Legislative Process’ and ‘Budgetary Process’.

The orientation programme for members of legislative assembly was started with the Programme for the members of Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1981 which was inaugurated by then-Speaker of Lok Sabha Bal Ram Jakhar.

Since 1981, a total of 59 orientation courses have been conducted and more than 4000 members have participated. Out of the 59 courses, 32 courses have been conducted in New Delhi, and the rest were held across various state capitals, the Lok Sabha Secretariat further informed.