Legislature should act as a watchdog on financial accountability of executive: Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Friday that legislatures should act as a watchdog on the financial accountability of the executive.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Friday said that legislatures should act as a watchdog on financial accountability of the executive.

"For this, it is necessary that they have a better understanding of financial terminology and budgetary processes," he said.

Birla was speaking at the valedictory session of the 7th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Conference which was attended by 35 delegates from various branches of CPA India Region and also from Australia and South East Asia Regions.

He said such exchange of ideas and experiences helps in consolidating and strengthening democracy by overcoming challenges faced by legislators.

"Legislative institutions are credible platforms for highlighting concerns, hopes and aspirations of common people which should be effectively voiced by their representatives on the floor of the House," he said.

The Speaker offered to send teams of experienced parliamentarians and officials for capacity building of legislators to understand the intricacies of budgetary process.

He suggested that state legislatures should also consider conducting briefing Sessions on legislative business during the sessions on the pattern introduced by Lok Sabha.

Birla mentioned that the delegates were of a unmous view that the legislatures should work smoothly without disruptions.

"For this, rules may be framed and efforts should be made for bringing about uniformity in the rules across the legislatures," he said.

Referring to decisions taken, Birla said that debates of all legislatures, including the Parliament, would be brought at a single platform.

He said there was unmity about holding such conferences at the level of gram panchayat, nagarpalika and districts.

In her remarks, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel said that the nature of the legislatures has changed over the years.

"The legislature is not only doing the work of law-making but is also at the forefront of the economic and social change. As such, the role of people's representatives as members of the legislative bodies has also changed," she said.

She emphasized that the legislators are judged on the basis of their work and actions in and outside the House.

"They are thus expected to understand social problems and play a leading role in their redress through legislatures and parliament," she said.

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who delivered the key note address, said legislators were law makers and must be able to identify a policy issue, potential legislative options to address that issue and consult relevant stakeholders.

( With inputs from ANI )