He was speaking on the theme “Strengthening Our Institutions to Support Democracy,” where in his remarks, he highlighted that democracy, in its truest form, must evolve beyond electoral representation into a culture of equality, accountability, and civic participation.
Photo: IANS
Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta has said that a democracy derives its true strength when every voice, irrespective of gender, region, and background finds equitable space in decision-making.
Gupta, while participating in a workshop during the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Bridgetown, Barbados, also underscored the imperative of reinforcing democratic institutions, promoting inclusive governance, and deepening the moral foundations of constitutionalism.
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He was speaking on the theme “Strengthening Our Institutions to Support Democracy,” where in his remarks, he highlighted that democracy, in its truest form, must evolve beyond electoral representation into a culture of equality, accountability, and civic participation.
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He emphasized that institutional resilience and ethical governance are indispensable to sustaining public faith in democracy.
“The strength of a democracy,” he observed, “is not defined by the frequency of elections but by the fairness of its institutions, the inclusiveness of its representation, and the conscience of those who govern.”
Reflecting on India’s democratic journey, Gupta noted that the country’s pursuit of inclusive representation began with the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments of 1993, which institutionalized Panchayati Raj and municipal governance and reserved one-third of all seats for women in local bodies.
This milestone, he said, brought over 1.4 million women into active public life, transforming the fabric of grassroots democracy.
Extending this vision to legislatures, Gupta referred to the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023—recently passed by Parliament—which reserves one-third of all seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women, including those reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The Delhi assembly speaker described this as a “moral and constitutional milestone in realizing gender justice and participatory democracy.”
He also drew attention to the series of electoral and institutional reforms undertaken in India over the past decade, which he said have strengthened transparency, accessibility, and public trust in governance.
Gupta observed that while India’s democratic machinery has embraced technological and procedural modernization, it continues to remain deeply anchored in constitutional morality and citizen participation.
He further emphasized that state legislative assemblies form the backbone of the country’s federal democracy, adding that far from being subordinate institutions, they are the true laboratories of governance that translate constitutional ideals into public realities.
“If Parliament represents the will of the nation, then State Assemblies embody the voice of the people,” Gupta said, calling for greater devolution of powers, institutional autonomy, and citizen participation to make democracy more responsive and inclusive.
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