MANESAR: Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday claimed that the 18th Lok Sabha has seen a rise in productivity and more meaningful debate due to a noticeable reduction in disruptions. He stated that democracy thrives through “dialogue, patience, and depth of discussion.”Speaking at a first-of-its-kind national conference of Chairpersons of Urban Local Bodies, organised by the Lok Sabha in collaboration with the Haryana Legislative Assembly, Birla, who also inaugurated the event as chief guest, remarked that frequent disruptions — once a recurring feature — have significantly reduced in the Indian Parliament, thereby enhancing productivity and the quality of debate on the House floor.He further noted that the Lok Sabha has increasingly conducted late-night sessions and held long-duration debates, reflecting a more mature and responsible democratic culture. “The members used to get placards to disrupt the proceedings of the House. The 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024) was no different, but change was visible in the 18th Lok Sabha,” he said, urging all political parties to strive for fewer disruptions during House proceedings.Birla also cautioned that the public would “teach a lesson” to political parties that persist in disrupting proceedings.Stressing the role of urban local bodies (ULBs) in reinforcing democracy at the grassroots, Birla urged them to adopt structured procedures, including regular sittings, robust committee systems, and citizen engagement mechanisms, to bolster participatory governance in Indian cities.The two-day national conference, which commenced on July 3 at the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), marked a landmark initiative aimed at exploring how urban local bodies can contribute to constitutional democracy and nation-building through participatory governance frameworks.
Source link
