Jagdeep Dhankhar addresses the closing ceremony of the 84th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference in Mumbai
AMN / MUMBAI
The Vice-President, Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed deep concern over the lack of discipline and decorum in legislatures warning that “the enormity of this decline is rendering legislatures irrelevant.”
Noting that the debates have been reduced to quarrels, VP described this as an extremely disturbing situation that calls for greater introspection amongst all stakeholders.
Observing that emergence of this ecosystem is a debilitating our parliamentary democracy, Shri Dhankhar cautioned that the erosion of public trust in their representative bodies is the most worrisome thing which should “engage the utmost attention of the political class of the country.”
Addressing the closing ceremony of the 84th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference in Mumbai today, the Vice-President called it high time for Presiding Officers to invoke their authority to enforce discipline and decorum as lack of these is virtually shaking the very foundations of Legislatures. “Disruption in legislatures is cancerous not only for legislatures but also for democracy and society. Curbing it is not optional but absolute necessity to save sanctity of legislature,” he added.
Stating that a strong democracy thrives not just on sound principles but on leaders committed to upholding them, he said that as presiding officers, “we bear the responsibility to be guardians of the democratic pillars. Our duty is to ensure the legislative process is meaningful, accountable, effective and transparent, giving voice to the people.”
To ensure blossoming and flowering of democracy, Shri Dhankhar called upon the legislators to believe in 4 Ds of Dialogue, Debate, Decorum and Deliberations, and keep away from 2 Ds of Disturbance and Disruption.
Shri Ramesh Bais, the Governor, Maharashtra, Shri Om Birla, Speaker, Lok Sabha, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra, Shri Rahul Narwekar, Speaker of Maharashtra
Legislative Assembly, Shri Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Chairman, Maharashtra Legislative Council and presiding officers from across the country attended the event.