Staff Reporters /New Delhi/Chandigarh
The Second Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone-II (North Zone)
The Second Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone-II (North Zone), which was inaugurated yesterday by Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, concluded today with a valedictory address by the Governor of Haryana, Prof. Asim Kumar Ghosh.
Addressing the valedictory ceremony, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stated that frequent interruptions and disruptions in the Houses pose a serious challenge to democratic institutions. He underlined that the solution lies within the legislative institutions themselves by promoting dialogue, meaningful discussion, and conduct aligned with public expectations. Emphasizing that strengthening public trust is the greatest responsibility of public representatives, Shri Birla remarked, “Society is shaped by the conduct and behaviour of its leadership. The public has elected and sent us here, hence our conduct has a direct impact on society.”
Expressing happiness over the successful two-day event, Shri Birla informed that the conference concluded with four important resolutions aimed at making legislative institutions more effective, accountable, and people-centric. He noted that the dream of a Developed India (Viksit Bharat) is anchored on strong parliamentary and legislative institutions. To achieve this, he stressed the need to increase public participation, maximize technology use, enhance the capacity of legislators, involve citizens in policymaking, and raise awareness toward the Constitution.
“Our objective is to build a participatory democracy that accords special importance to the development of states, as the dream of a Developed India will only be realized through the holistic development of the states,” Shri Birla emphasized.
He added that in India’s federal structure, the states and the Centre must work together through aligned schemes, laws, and policies to fulfill public aspirations. Over the course of the conference, nearly 40 speakers shared meaningful suggestions to drive this transformation. Shri Birla also laid special emphasis on increasing the participation of youth and women in democratic processes and cultivating a sense of constitutional duty right from student life.
The high-profile event saw active participation from Presiding Officers representing 12 state legislatures across the country. In addition to the core member states of CPA Zone-II—Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Delhi—Presiding Officers from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and West Bengal also attended.
The Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh, and the Speaker of the Haryana Legislative Assembly, Shri Harvinder Kalyan, also shared their views during the event, while the Deputy Speaker of the Haryana Legislative Assembly, Shri Krishan Lal Middha, presented the vote of thanks.