Chandigarh : Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Shri Harivansh today said that disruptions in the House should be seen as a breach of privilege of Members. People elect their representative to raise their issues in the House and participation of Members in House proceedings is their privilege, he observed. Therefore, by obstructing House proceedings through disruptions is an issue of breach of privilege of Members, he stressed. He suggested that consensus should be built for making disruption a breach of Privilege.
Shri Harivansh made these remarks while addressing Members of Haryana Vidhan Sabha at the Valedictory Session of the two-day Orientation Programme which was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla in Chandigarh yesterday. The Session was also attended by Speaker, Haryana Legislative Assembly, Shri Shri Harvinder Kalyan; Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Haryana, Shri Mahipal Dhanda and Members of Haryana Legislative Assembly.
Stating that legislatures are watchdogs which ensure accountability of the Executive, Shri Harivansh called for legislative review of laws. Such reviews by legislature will help in better implementation of laws and fruitful expenditure of budgetary resources, he highlighted. Stating that budgetary provisions should be directly proportional to governance, Shri Harivansh urged the States to usher in reforms necessary for economic development of the State and economic upliftment of the people.
Shri Harivansh took this opportunity to congratulate the newly elected Members of Haryana Vidhan Sabha. Referring to the profile of the newly elected Members, Shri Harivansh was happy to observe that the Members represent every section of the society and make the House inclusive and representative. Speaking on the glorious history of Haryana Vidhan Sabha, he recalled the contributions of former leaders of the Assembly and paid tributes to their rich legacy. Remembering eminent parliamentarians like Shru Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shri Hiren Mookerjee, he recalled that they never went to the well of the House to protest, and still they were successful in leaving their imprint in the proceedings through deep knowledge, parliamentary skills and passion for positive dialogues. Stating that the level of dialogue and discussion decides the outcome of governance, he urged the Members that they must learn Rules and Procedures to be effective lawmakers and to participate in House proceedings effectively and efficiently. He also underlined the importance of sound research and homework by the Members in fulfilment of their responsibilities as lawmakers. Dignity and discipline will make their debates effective, emphasized the Deputy Chairperson.
Speaking on this occasion, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Haryana, Shri Mahipal Dhanda said that as people’s representatives, Members have tremendous responsibilities to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people. People expect their representatives to solve their problems, which makes it obligatory for the Members to ensure that every step they take is in the direction of solving the issues faced by the people. Speaking on the objectives and outcome of the Orientation programme, Shri Dhanda was happy to note that the lectures were a perfect mix of knowledge and experience of senior leaders and domain experts. He hoped that the lessons learnt during the lectures at the Orientation Programme would educate the Members on their rights, responsibilities and duties and by doing so will make debates and discussions in the House more effective and lively.
Speaker, Haryana Legislative Assembly, Shri Harvinder Kalyan delivered Vote of Thanks. Shri Kalyan thanked the Lok Sabha Speaker for his august presence at the inaugural session of the Orientation Programme and for delivering the thought provoking inaugural Address. He appreciated Shri Birla for his commitment to the ‘One Nation, One Legislative Platform’ initiative and for his focus on digitisation of Assembly records. He expressed hope that the orientation programme would be helpful to the Members of Haryana Vidhan Sabha in increasing their efficiency and the Members would be able to carry out public welfare works more effectively through the House and the Committees. Noting that Committees in legislatures work throughout the year and discharge important business, including examination of bills, Shri Kalyan appealed the Members to effectively participate in Committee proceedings and to make fruitful contributions in their working. He said that it would make legislatures more effective and the Members would be able to incorporate people’s aspirations in legislations. Shri Kalyan also took this opportunity to urge the MLAs to commit themselves to discipline, dignity and decorum in the House.
During the two-day Orientation Programme, Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal Khattar, Chairpersons of Parliamentary Committees, Members of Parliament, former Members and domain experts, including senior Officers from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats, briefed the Members of the Haryana Legislative Assembly on the following topics:
• How to be an effective Legislator: Do’s and Don’ts for Members;
• Legislative and Financial Business in Indian Parliament and in Haryana Legislative Assembly ;
• Committee System – Soul of Parliamentary Democracy;
• Executive Accountability through Questions and other devices in Legislatures;
• Role of Minister in Legislative Processes;
• Parliamentary Privileges and
• National eVidhan Application (NeVA).
The Orientation Programme for the Members of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Haryana was organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), Lok Sabha Secretariat in collaboration with the Haryana Legislative Assembly Secretariat.
