Standard of debates in legislatures, Parliament should improve: Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday (September 11, 2025) expressed concern over the lack of meaningful discussions in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State legislatures and said standard of debates in the legislatures and Parliament should improve.

Speaking at the inaugural function of a three-day Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), India Region, Mr. Birla, who is also the Chairman of the CPA, said the quality of debate in the State legislatures and Parliament should be of high quality to ensure meaningful discussion of laws. He expressed concern that the dignity of the Parliament and legislature debates were getting lowered following frequent disruptions in the proceedings of the Houses owing to petty political reasons.

He said thoughts and viewpoints of the members should always be above party politics and urged lawmakers to rise above party lines on issues of national interest and meet the aspirations of people.

The programme, held on the grand steps of the Vidhana Soudha, was attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, presiding officers of legislative Assemblies of various States.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said “a culture of dialogue, commitment to equality, and a willingness to listen, deliberate, and decide together is the true spirit of democracy”. “The CPA is not merely an institution but a living network of ideas, values, and aspirations. It binds together nations and regions across continents, transcending geography and history, uniting us through our commitment to parliamentary democracy, the rule of law, and human dignity,” he said.

The Chief Minister said Indian Parliament and State legislatures were laboratories of federal democracy, where diversity was debated, dissent was respected, and unity was forged. “Legislatures must reclaim the space of truth, evidence, and rational debate”, he said.

The Chief Minister was not able to read his written speech fluently owing to poor light at the podium.

Mr. Harivansh Narayan Singh said healthy debates would ensure political stability in the country.

Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar also spoke. Legislative Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader welcomed the gathering.

The theme of the 11^th conference of CPA, India Region is “Debate and Discussions in the Houses of Legislature: Building People’s Trust, Meeting People’s Aspirations”.