People vote with faith that elected representatives will raise their concerns: Om Birla

Lucknow, Jan 21 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said that people repose deep faith in the electoral process with the expectation that their elected representatives will take their problems, difficulties and challenges to the legislature and work towards resolving them.

Addressing the concluding session of the 86th All India Presiding Officers' Conference and the 62nd Conference of Secretaries of Legislative Bodies here, Birla said the legislature is the forum through which the voice of the last person reaches the government.

"When a citizen casts his vote, he does so with the belief that for the next five years his elected representative will place his issues before the House and that solutions will emerge," the Speaker said.

Drawing a parallel with the judiciary, Birla said just as people trust courts to hear them with fairness, they also expect the legislature to function with a positive outlook and constructive approach.

"If representatives raise issues with a positive intent and provide direction through meaningful debate, outcomes will surely follow through the legislature," he said.

Birla said conferences of presiding officers and secretaries play a crucial role in strengthening democratic institutions and making them more responsive, transparent and accountable to public expectations.

He emphasised the need to increase the number of legislative sittings, recalling that concerns have been repeatedly raised over the declining duration of House proceedings. He said there should be efforts to ensure that state legislatures sit for at least 30 days annually and engage in positive, issue-based discussions.

The Speaker also emphasised that continuous dialogue, innovation and reforms are needed to bring democratic institutions closer to the people and align their functioning with the goal of building a developed India.

Speaking in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Vidhan Sabha speaker Satish Mahana, Birla praised Uttar Pradesh for initiatives taken to strengthen democratic values.

He noted that sustained discussion and dialogue within legislatures would help states move steadily towards development and good governance. PTI KIS MPL MPL