President of India will inaugurate the Conference
Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
Lok Sabha Speaker Mr Om Birla today informed that the 80th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) will be held on 25 and 26 November 2020 in Kevadia, Gujarat. Kevadia is home to the world’s tallest Statue, the ‘Statue of Unity’, of Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The Theme for this year’s Conference is “Harmonious Coordination between Legislature, Executive and Judiciary- Key to a Vibrant Democracy.”
Talking to media persons in the Parliament House, Mr Birla said that President of India Mr Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the Conference and Vice President of India Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, Governor of Gujarat Mr Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister of Gujarat Mr Vijay Rupani and other dignitaries will also grace the Conference. He said that Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi will address the Valedictory Session of the Conference on 26 November 2020.
Mr Birla told that 26 November is celebrated every year as Constitution Day across the country, as this Day marks the adoption of the Constitution of India in 1949. He added that this year, the nation is celebrating 71 years of the adoption of the Constitution. Befittingly, this Conference dedicated to safeguarding constitutional values is also being organized during this period.
Mr Birla said that during this Conference, the Presiding Officers of the Legislatures shall discuss the need for better cooperation and coordination between the three pillars of democracy. This is in line with our Constitutional obligations that spell out the jurisdictions of the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary and the balance amongst them. It is our collective efforts to maintain the constitutional sanctity, which is very important for mutual coexistence between the three organs of governance and the sustenance of democracy in the nation.
Mr Birla said that on Constitution Day, all delegates at the Conference will also recite the Preamble to the Constitution of India under the leadership of the Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi. He added that the Conference proposes to adopt a Resolution at the Closing Ceremony on 26 November 2020.
An exhibition on Constitution Day would also be held during the Conference.
All India Presiding Officers’ Conference was launched in the year 1921 and since then, this Conference has been ceaselessly striving to strengthen the democratic way of life and promoting a sense of unity and oneness in the Indian Legislatures. He also said that this year marks the Centenary year of AIPOC; thus, from 14-15 September 2020 to 14-15 September 2021 is being celebrated as its Centenary year. This Conference provides a platform to share new ideas, views, and experiences with all the Presiding Officers in India. He said that the collective wisdom of our venerable legislators has helped the Legislatures to keep pace with the changing times. Many of the significant innovations in parliamentary democracy trace their roots to the deliberations that took place during the Sessions of these Conferences.
Earlier in 2019, this Conference was held in Dehradun, Uttarakhand under the leadership of Lok Sabha Speaker Mr Om Birla. Issues related to the Strengthening of Parliamentary democracy through Zero Hour and other parliamentary devices, capacity building and Tenth Schedule of the Constitution and the role of the Presiding Officers were discussed during the Conference. The 80th AIPOC will also discuss the Reports of the three Committees of that Conference.
Mr Birla also informed that on 23 November 2020, Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi will inaugurate 76 newly built residences for Members of Parliament at BD Marg. These residences have been built within 27 months on a cost of Rs 188 crores, in three towers named after Rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.