The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Speaker calls for dynamic legislatures

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Tuesday, Nov 25, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Speaker calls for dynamic legislatures

Indian Parliamentary democratic system is still evolving, says Suresh Reddy

— Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

First-hand experience: Participants of the 24th Parliamentary internship programme at the Assembly on Monday.

HYDERABAD: Assembly Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy has underscored the need for the legislatures to be ‘dynamic’ in order to ensure change in their functioning as and when time warrants.

The Indian Parliamentary democratic system was still evolving and the stability it had shown over the years made it a role model for the emerging democracies, he said. He was interacting with a 43-member delegation of Parliamentary officials of 23 countries that arrived in the city on Monday for the four-day 24th Parliamentary internship programme.

Platform

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Reddy described the legislature as a platform to raise issues pertaining to people and evolve policies to redress them. The guidance of the legislature staff would play a key role in this direction in guiding policymakers as well as encouraging members to participate in the deliberations to express their views.

Legislative Council Chairman A. Chakrapani said while the Opposition was expected to scrutinise the actions of the government, its role was not up to the expected levels at present.

Finance and Legislative Affairs Minister K. Rosaiah said members were expected to follow rules in the legislatures and whenever they went against them, the Chair would become active. It was here that the legislature and officials played a critical role that would at times become delicate. Answering queries by the participants later, the Speaker said being acknowledged as one of the youngest person to occupy the Chair, he was comfortable with the proceedings. His experience of being in the ruling party for nine years and a decade in the Opposition was helping him understand “what goes in the minds of people on both sides”, he added.

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