L.S., Assembly disruption: call for stern action

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, JULY 1. With their 64th All-India Conference coming to a close here last Saturday, the Presiding Officers of various Legislatures moved a step closer to formulating a code of conduct for the people's representatives in Parliament and Assemblies. The conference recommended an improved role for these legislative bodies, including stern action against members who persisted in holding up the proceedings.

Addressing presspersons at the Chandigarh Press Club after the conference, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Mr. G.M.C. Balayogi, listed the recommendations after an analysis of the factors responsible for the present state of affairs. All legislatures had been advised to constitute ethics committees, which, in turn, would aid promoting right conduct among the members.

Mr. Balayogi disclosed that while adopting the report of the ``Committee on procedural unanimity and better management of the time of the House'' Presiding officers sought to be consulted by the Government while deciding the duration of the session of the respective Houses, while there should be Constitutional provisions to have at least 100 sittings for large States and 60 for the smaller ones.

The conference also accepted the Committee's recommendations regarding more time for non-Government business, including the private members' business. It also recommended regular training programmes to acquaint members in Parliamentary procedure, practices, processes, etiquette and decorum.

The conference called upon the political parties and floor leaders to assume the important role of selecting the candidates for election and later disciplining them. It deplored the practice by members to disrupt the addresses by the President in Parliament and Governors in States, which amounted to violation of the oath of allegiance to the Constitution.

It recommended action against those who obstructed the proceedings persistently. Mr. Balayogi said contrary to general perception the Presiding Officers felt that live telecast of the proceedings acted as a deterrent to the negative behaviour of the members.

Earlier at the symposium of Presiding Officers and Secretaries of the Legislative bodies, Mr. Balayogi exhorted the legislators to become computer literate and techno savvy to equip themselves to meet the futuristic challenges. There is a need for legislators to specialise themselves in some subject or the other.

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Section  : National
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