Nationwide push to strengthen legislative committees, says Raj Assembly Speaker Devnani

Jaipur, May 5 (IANS) The Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday hosted the second meeting of the Committee of Presiding Officers, constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to review and strengthen the committee system of legislative bodies across the country.

The meeting was held in Jaipur at the Constitution Club of Rajasthan which brought together seven Presiding Officers from across the country.

The committee comprises the Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim, and West Bengal, reflecting a broad and representative effort to evaluate and strengthen legislative committee mechanisms in India.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani said the discussions focused on enhancing the effectiveness of legislative committees and ensuring greater participation of elected representatives.

“Committees are miniatures of the House and play a crucial role in strengthening democratic processes,” he added.

Key areas of discussion included standardising committee procedures across states, increasing participation of legislators, strengthening scrutiny mechanisms, ensuring timely action by governments on committee reports and facilitating structured discussions on reports within legislative houses.

The panel is expected to submit a comprehensive report with recommendations to the Lok Sabha Speaker in June.

This marks the second meeting of the committee; the first meeting was held previously in Bhopal.

The committee is chaired by the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker, Narendra Singh Tomar.

The members of the committee include the Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani; Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana; Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania; Odisha Assembly Speaker Surma Padhy; and Sikkim Assembly Speaker Mingma Norbu Sherpa.

West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee did not attend this meeting.

Officials indicated that an additional meeting may be convened, if required, before finalising the report.

Delegates were accorded a traditional Rajasthani welcome, including a Sarangi rendition of “Padharo Mhare Desh”, along with performances of the Kachhi Ghodi and puppet art.

Souvenirs symbolising Rajasthan’s heritage were also presented.

Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Devnani emphasised that robust committee systems are vital for accountability, policy scrutiny, and research support in a democratic framework.

He added that uniformity in procedures across Legislatures would further strengthen democratic institutions and improve governance outcomes.

The initiative signals a coordinated national effort to revitalise legislative committees as key pillars of India’s Parliamentary democracy.

–IANS

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