Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday warned that frequent interruptions and disruptions in legislative Houses pose a serious challenge to democratic institutions, calling on elected representatives to hold themselves to higher standards of conduct. His remarks came at the second Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone-II (North Zone), held in Chandigarh.

The Core Challenge Birla Raised

Addressing presiding officers and legislators from across the country, Birla said the solution to parliamentary disruptions 'lies within the legislative institutions themselves by promoting conduct aligned with public expectations, dialogue, and meaningful discussion.' He stressed that strengthening public trust is 'the greatest responsibility of all public representatives today.'

Birla underlined that society is shaped by the behaviour of its leadership. 'The public has elected and sent us here; our conduct has a direct impact on society,' he said, urging legislators to carry these commitments back to their respective states and assemblies.

Conference Outcomes and Resolutions

The two-day conference concluded with four resolutions aimed at making legislative institutions more effective, accountable, and people-centric. Nearly 40 speakers contributed suggestions during the proceedings. Birla expressed confidence that acting promptly on these ideas would increase both public participation and trust in democratic institutions.

Presiding officers from the legislatures of 12 states participated, including core CPA Zone-II members — Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Delhi — as well as representatives from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and West Bengal.

Viksit Bharat and the Role of Legislatures

Birla linked the quality of legislative conduct directly to the national goal of a Developed India (Viksit Bharat), arguing that strong parliamentary and legislative institutions are its foundation. He identified five priorities: increasing public participation, maximising the use of technology, enhancing legislators' capacity, ensuring citizen involvement in policy-making, and raising constitutional awareness.

He also emphasised India's federal structure, noting that states and the Centre must work in tandem through schemes, laws, and policies to fulfil public aspirations. 'Transformation with new perspectives and fresh ideas is the need of the hour,' he added.

What Comes Next

The resolutions passed at the conference are expected to serve as a framework for legislative reform across participating states. Birla expressed hope that the ideas shared would translate into concrete institutional improvements, reinforcing participatory democracy at both the state and national levels. Whether legislatures act on these commitments — or whether disruptions continue to dominate session headlines — will be the real measure of the conference's impact.