With the decisions of speakers on defection by legislators coming under legal scrutiny at regular intervals, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said various stakeholders, including presiding officers and Constitutional experts, will be consulted on amendments to the anti-defection law.
Birla, while addressing a meeting of presiding officers of state legislatures held at Parliament House, indicated that further consultations were needed before amendments to the law would be finalised.
"Presiding officers, Constitution experts, legal scholars and other stakeholders will be consulted for amendments to the law," he said.
There has been a demand from presiding officers of legislatures for amendments to the Tenth Schedule or the anti-defection law in the wake of courts being critical of the decisions of speakers with regard to defection by legislators.
A panel of speakers, headed by Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C.P. Joshi, had been set up to suggest changes in the law. The panel has given its initial report and now consultations will be held with legal experts, presiding officers and other stakeholders.
Addressing the meeting attended by presiding officers from 17 states and Union territories, Birla highlighted that debates and discussions in legislatures should be dignified and every member should conduct themselves in a manner that will add to the dignity and decorum of the house.
He said there should not be any disruption during addresses of the President and the Governor. Birla suggested that presiding officers should meet regularly and discuss these issues so that meaningful discussion takes place in legislatures.
Issues like awards to outstanding legislators and minimum number of sittings of legislatures were also discussed in the meeting.
Speaking on the issue of expunction of certain words from parliamentary proceedings, Birla urged the presiding officers to inform the members that no word has been banned but the words which have been expunged from the proceedings as per the directions of the Chair have been compiled. He asked the participants to guide the members to have a dignified conduct in the house.
Emphasising on the need for a single platform for information about legislatures in the country, Birla said a single digital platform is being prepared and debates of all the legislatures in the country will soon be available on this platform. He sought cooperation from the presiding officers for sharing of debates of state legislatures so that a robust digital platform can be prepared.
Birla said uniformity of rules and procedures for all democratically elected legislative bodies, including Panchayats, will strengthen democracy from grassroots level onwards.
The Speaker also informed that a Parliamentary Delegation under his leadership will attend the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference to be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada from August 20 to 26, 2022.
