Chandigarh, Sep 26 Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday reflected on frequent disruptions in Parliament, emphasising that the public trust in democracy is reinforced only when legislatures function in an accountable manner and undertake meaningful discussion.
Speaking at a two-day training programme on legislative drafting, organised in collaboration with the Haryana Legislative Assembly and the Institute of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies (ICPS), Birla highlighted that strong legislative drafting paves the way for meaningful discussion in House and more people-oriented laws.
He said that agreement and disagreement are the strengths of democracy, but if the legislative drafting is strong, the differences will remain confined to ideology, and no questions will be raised about the language of a law.
He added that the true strength of democracy lies in the trust of the people, and this trust is reinforced only when legislatures and Parliament function in a transparent, organised, and accountable manner, said an official statement.
Addressing legislators at the programme at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) in Chandigarh, Birla said: “The role of legislative drafting is extremely important in the process of law-making.”
When legislative drafting is clear and simple, and contains no grey areas, unnecessary interference during judicial review will be avoided, he said.
Birla said that the Constitution serves as our guide in this regard. He stated that under our Constitution, there is a clear separation of powers between the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary, and keeping its core principles in mind, laws should be drafted in a manner that is welfare-oriented, simple, and written in clear language.
He said that better the drafting, the more effective, error-free, and just the law will be. “Clear and simple legislative language forms the foundation of effective laws,” he said.
Birla said legislative drafting is not merely a technical process, but the very soul of democracy. “Only when bills and laws clearly and accurately reflect constitutional values and the aspirations of the people can the democratic system truly fulfil its purpose,” he said.
Birla further said that such programmes not only enhance the capacity of officials but also strengthen the dignity and effectiveness of legislative institutions.
These programmes acquaint officials and staff not just with the complexities of legislative processes but also enable them to develop a legislative language and format that is fair, transparent, and accessible to every section of society, he said.
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