Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has said that the autonomy of state legislative assemblies is the basis of federal structure.

Delivering inaugural address at the 85th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) in Patna on Monday, he observed that the state legislative bodies should use their powers to formulate policies in such a manner that they are in accordance with the local needs and expectations of the people and help in the overall progress of the country.

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He cautioned that legislatures are falling short of fulfilling their constitutional mandate with the decline in number of their sittings. He urged lawmakers to prioritise efficient scheduling and effective utilisation of parliamentary time in order to address pressing national issues and ensure that the voice of the people is adequately represented.

The Lok Sabha Speaker suggested that all political parties should make an internal Code of Conduct for their members’ behaviour in the House so that democratic values are respected.

He urged that on the lines of AIPOC, state legislatures should also create platforms for their local bodies for their training and capacity building.

Stressing on making Legislatures more effective and efficient, Birla urged the Presiding Officers to promote use of technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media in working of legislatures.

He observed that AI based tools can enhance transparency and effectiveness in parliamentary and legislative proceedings. Birla said that Parliament of India has already initiated this process which is yielding positive results. He also expressed happiness that many Legislative Assemblies in the country have become paperless.

The inaugural session was attended by Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar Samrat Choudhary, Chairperson of Bihar Legislative Council Awdesh Narayan Singh, and Bihar Legislative Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav.

The two-day meet has attracted 56 presiding officers of legislative bodies in India to brainstorm on the theme ‘75th anniversary of constitution: contribution of parliament and state legislative bodies in strengthening constitutional values’.

Just before inauguration of the conference, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani complained of uneasiness. He was rushed to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology, Patna. Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav told media that Devnani was fine but returned to Rajasthan, as per his wish.