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Great expansion in role of legislators: Speaker Sumitra Mahajan

There is a great expansion in the role and responsibilities of modern-day legislators who have to attend to the developmental…

Great expansion in role of legislators: Speaker Sumitra Mahajan

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan (Photo: Ians)

There is a great expansion in the role and responsibilities of modern-day legislators who have to attend to the developmental needs along with legislative duties, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said on Wednesday.

Thus, well-organised research is imperative for them, she said in her keynote address on “Strengthening Parliamentary Research for the effective functioning of Legislatures” at the 24th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth here.

“As legislators come from diverse backgrounds and the complexity of issues before they are varied, it is imperative that they are supported by a well-organised and trained research and information service,” she said.

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Mahajan stressed that the need for a strong parliamentary research service is greater in developing democracies to understand the complexities of issues before the nations.

She highlighted that research needs of Parliamentarians in India is provided by the ‘Research and Information Division’ and ‘Members’ Reference Service’, which are part of a collective service called LARRDIS (Library and Research, Reference, Documentation and Information Service).

She said that the Indian Parliament has a capacity-building arm in the form of Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training in the Lok Sabha Secretariat which organises orientation and training programmes for Parliamentarians and Parliamentary officials of India and other countries.

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