Ahead of the Monsoon Session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, on Friday, clarified that issuing of circular requesting members not to use the precincts of Parliament for any demonstration, dharna, strike or fast, etc, is a ‘routine matter’ and such circulars are issued before every session. 

Chairing a meeting of the Presiding Officers of legislative bodies in India in the Parliament House Complex, the Lok Sabha Speaker requested Members of Parliament and political parties not use routine parliamentary information for creating news. Birla further requested that the dignity of Parliament as an institution may be maintained. 

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The Lok Sabha Speaker emphasised that debates and discussions in legislatures should be dignified and every member should conduct himself/herself in a manner that would add to the decorum of the House.

He was of the view that there should not be any disruption during the addresses of the President and Governors. Presiding Officers should meet regularly and discuss these issues so that meaningful discussion takes place in legislatures, Birla added.

Speaking about strengthening the Anti-Defection Law, Birla said that presiding officers, constitution experts, legal scholars, and other stakeholders would be consulted for amendments in the legislation. Speaking on the issue of expunction of certain words from parliamentary proceedings, the Lok Sabha Speaker urged the presiding officers to inform the members that no word has been banned but the words which have been expunged from the proceedings as per the directions of the Chair have been compiled. Presiding officers should guide the members for dignified conduct in the House, he added. He said efforts must be made to enhance the number of sittings of state legislatures.

Emphasising the need for a single platform for information about legislatures in the country,  Birla said that a single digital platform was being prepared and debates of all the legislatures in the country would soon be available on this platform.

He sought cooperation from the presiding officers for sharing debates of state legislatures so that a robust digital platform could be prepared.