Recalling the major deliberations of previous AIPOCs, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla emphasised the need for healthy competition among state legislatures on parameters such as excellence, innovation, and the use of technology.
Birla was speaking on the second day of the ongoing 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC), which concluded on Tuesday with deliberations on three key themes:
(1) Leveraging technology for transparent, efficient, and citizen-centric legislative processes;
(2) Capacity building of legislators to enhance efficiency and strengthen democratic governance; and
(3) Accountability of legislatures towards the people.
Birla attended the plenary deliberations, while Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, moderated the discussions.
Addressing the sessions, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla commended the efforts of UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana for integrating best practices adopted by legislatures across the country into the functioning of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He also appreciated Mahana’s initiative in recognising the educational qualifications and professional experiences of Members of the Legislative Assembly and utilising them constructively.
Referring to the discussions held during the AIPOC at Dehradun in 2019, he reiterated his long-standing views on improving the efficiency and functioning of state legislatures. He informed that a committee has been constituted in this regard to examine issues related to the standardisation of practices and procedures of legislative bodies in India.
Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, highlighted the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing the efficiency of legislatures and also outlined the various steps required to make this technology appropriate and reliable. Underscoring the practical use of AI in Parliament and various modes of its implementation, he stressed the need for greater coordination between Parliament and state legislatures so that institutional knowledge of legislatures can be effectively utilised by both Parliament and state legislative assemblies.
Wednesday will be the third and final day of the conference. On this occasion, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will deliver the valedictory address. The closing ceremony will also be attended by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who will address the conference.