Clear and transparent laws foundation of democracy: Speaker Om Birla

Chandigarh, Sep 26 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said that legislative drafting is the soul of democracy. He emphasised that clear, simple, and transparent laws strengthen democratic institutions and deepen citizens' trust in governance.

He said laws must evolve with changing times. "With proper training, we can ensure that future legislation is more welfare-oriented and responsive to the needs of society,'' he said.

Birla inaugurated a two-day training workshop on Legislative Drafting and Capacity Building organised by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha in collaboration with the Institute of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies, Lok Sabha, at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Sector-26 here.

The inaugural session was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, Karnataka Speaker U T Khader Fareed, and Haryana Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Krishan Lal Middha.

Birla praised Haryana for its contribution to democratic values and its achievements in agriculture, industry, and culture.

He also recalled how legislative departments earlier had many seasoned experts, but over time their numbers declined.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he said, recognised the importance of regular training in legislative drafting to bridge this gap. Such programmes, he added, allow younger officers to benefit from the experience of senior experts who shaped landmark laws.

The Lok Sabha Speaker stressed that legislative drafting must leave no room for grey-area. If a law is clear, transparent, and simple, it becomes truly useful to citizens. Grey areas in drafting weaken the intent of laws during judicial scrutiny, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that legislative drafting is not merely a technical exercise, but a powerful means to strengthen democracy, making it more effective and closer to the people.

He said that clear and well-framed laws are the true strength of any democratic system. While drafting legislation, it is equally important to keep in mind future challenges and technological advancements, Saini said.

Saini said that India's democracy, the largest in the world, draws its strength not only from the electoral process, but also from the clarity, effectiveness, and people-centric nature of its laws.

Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan said legislative drafting is a very important subject. It means converting policy into formal and legal language so that it emerges as clear, precise and easily understandable law, he said.

Speaker, Karnataka Legislative Assembly, U T Khader Fareed said that the soul of any law lies in its drafting, and the language used must be simple and easily understood by all.

He emphasised that state legislatures should make the best possible laws that serve communities and the public at large. PTI SUN MNK MNK