Ahead of Parliament’s Winter Session, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said “disruptive, unruly behavior” of a few members leads to “erosion” of public’s respect for the legislatures as he gave ten suggestions to address the issue.

Delivering a lecture on ‘Importance of Legislatures’ in the national capital, Naidu who is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha said “thin attendance” of the Members in both the Parliament and the State Legislatures was an “area of concern”.

“Disruptive, unruly behaviour of a few members of legislatures leads to the erosion of public’s respect for the legislatures. Another area of concern is the thin attendance of the Members in both the Parliament and the State Legislatures,” Naidu said.

“The number of sittings and the Bills being passed are important indicators of the functioning of the Parliament. Some suggestions have been made for a minimum of 100 sittings in a year for both the Houses of Parliament,” he added.

Stressing that his priority will be to ensure “smooth functioning” of the Upper House during the Winter Session, Naidu said he will work with all party leaders to build a congenial environment.

“I will work with all party leaders during the Winter Session and try to build a congenial environment in which public issues and national concerns can be discussed and where every member is given a reasonable opportunity to present her or his perspective,” he said.

Naidu then went on to list ten suggestions for “consideration, debate and decision” to address the crucial issue.

1. Measuring the effectiveness of legislatures
2. Ranking all the legislatures of the country
3. Setting new benchmarks for the conduct and contribution of the legislators
4. Quorum for attendance of opposition
5. Notifying disruptors
6. Automatic suspension of members
7. Longer tenure for Standing Committees
8. Enhancing engagement of legislatures with the people
9. Ensuring enlightened, inclusive legislatures
10. Compliance with Rules of Business

The Winter Session of Parliament begins on December 15 and will last till January 5, 2018.

In the last parliamentary session, the Monsoon session, only nine bills out of the 25 were passed during those 19 days.

Noting that legislature was the central pillar of democratic governance, Naidu said it was the voice of the people and articulates their hopes, aspirations and dreams through laws that govern their lives.

“Legislation is the foremost function of the law making institutions under our constitutional framework. The Legislature is also the highest body representing the sovereign will of the people and is also the supreme body for making laws,” he said.

“A good parliamentary debate shakes the Government and fires the imaginations of the public and the media,” he added.

Naidu further asked the lawmakers to “reform, perform and transform”.