Legislative drafting soul of democracy, LS Speaker Birla tells Haryana lawmakers (Ld)

Chandigarh, Sep 26 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday inaugurated a two-day training workshop on Legislative Drafting and Capacity Building organised by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha in collaboration with the Institute of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies, Lok Sabha, here.

Speaking on the occasion, Speaker Birla underlined that legislative drafting is the soul of democracy. He emphasized that clear, simple, and transparent laws strengthen democratic institutions and deepen citizens’ trust in governance.

“Laws must evolve with changing times. With proper training, we can ensure that future legislation is more welfare-oriented and responsive to the needs of society,” he said.

The inaugural session was attended by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, Karnataka Vidhan Sabha Speaker U.T. Khader Fareed, and Haryana Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Krishan Lal Middha. Speaker Birla praised Haryana for its contribution to democratic values and its achievements in agriculture, industry, and culture.

Om Birla also 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.

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.

The Lok Sabha Speaker also lauded the state government for creating a historic milestone by procuring all crops at the minimum support price.

Highlighting the enduring relevance of the Constitution, Speaker Birla said it was drafted after exhaustive debate, dialogue, and consensus-building. It guided the nation at the time of independence and continues to serve as a living inspiration today. Legislatures, within the limits of their defined powers, transform the aspirations of the people into laws.

He also recalled how legislative departments earlier had many seasoned experts, but over time their numbers declined. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he said, recognized the importance of regular training in legislative drafting to bridge this gap.

Such programmes, he added, allow younger officers to benefit from the experience of senior experts who shaped landmark laws.

The Lok Sabha Speaker stressed that legislative drafting must leave no room for grey-area. “If a law is clear, transparent, and simple, it becomes truly useful to citizens. Grey areas in drafting weaken the intent of laws during judicial scrutiny,” he said. Speaker Birla underlined that any legislation must reflect people’s aspirations and the real needs of the state.

He expressed confidence that the two-day workshop will provide a platform for sharing diverse perspectives, enabling lawmakers to draft stronger laws for citizens’ welfare and state development.

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.

--IANS

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