Lucknow, Jan 21 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said that people repose deep faith in the electoral process with the expectation that their elected representatives will take their problems, difficulties and challenges to the legislature and work towards resolving them.

Addressing the concluding session of the 86th All India Presiding Officers' Conference and the 62nd Conference of Secretaries of Legislative Bodies here, Birla said the legislature is the forum through which the voice of the last person reaches the government.

"When a citizen casts his vote, he does so with the belief that for the next five years his elected representative will place his issues before the House and that solutions will emerge," the Speaker said.

Drawing a parallel with the judiciary, Birla said just as people trust courts to hear them with fairness, they also expect the legislature to function with a positive outlook and constructive approach.

"If representatives raise issues with a positive intent and provide direction through meaningful debate, outcomes will surely follow through the legislature," he said.

Birla said conferences of presiding officers and secretaries play a crucial role in strengthening democratic institutions and making them more responsive, transparent and accountable to public expectations.

He emphasised the need to increase the number of legislative sittings, recalling that concerns have been repeatedly raised over the declining duration of House proceedings. He said there should be efforts to ensure that state legislatures sit for at least 30 days annually and engage in positive, issue-based discussions.

The Speaker also emphasised that continuous dialogue, innovation and reforms are needed to bring democratic institutions closer to the people and align their functioning with the goal of building a developed India.

Speaking in the presence of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana,, Legislative Council Chairman Kunwar Manvendra Singh, Birla praised Uttar Pradesh for initiatives taken to strengthen democratic values.

He noted that sustained discussion and dialogue within legislatures would help states move steadily towards development and good governance.

Speaking further, Birla called for making democratic institutions more effective, accountable, transparent and aligned with public aspirations.

He said, through the Presiding Officer's Conferences, extensive deliberations have been held to connect democratic institutions with the hopes and aspirations of the people, and these discussions have also yielded concrete outcomes.

"The time has now come to bring democratic institutions even closer to the people through innovation, dialogue and technology," the LS Speaker said.

Birla said all presiding officers and representatives shared their views on strengthening democracy through meaningful discussion and making legislative institutions more accountable and transparent.

He clarified that the objective of these discussions is not limited to dialogue alone, but to ensure that concrete and positive outcomes emerge and the innovation is adopted in democratic institutions.

Earlier in his address, Birla said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, democratic values in Uttar Pradesh have been strengthened. "The state has made remarkable progress in the areas of good governance, social welfare, strong law and order, infrastructure development and investment," he added.

He made special mention of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and said that here continuous discussions were held for 36 hours on several important issues, including Vision-2047.

"This is an exemplary initiative, demonstrating how long-term development can be guided through meaningful debate and dialogue," Birla said.

He also said that the use of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is essential to make legislative institutions more transparent and accountable.

"Today, all state legislative assemblies have become paperless, and old debates, budgets and legislative proceedings have been digitised. This will enhance the capacity of legislators and strengthen research-based discussion. With this objective, research wings have also been constituted in legislative assemblies," he noted.

Birla said that through digitisation, the necessary references required for meaningful debate during law-making will be easily available.

Working together will build capacity among public representatives and make legislators more accountable. This will also make oversight of governance and administration more effective, he said.

Expressing concern over frequent disruptions in the Houses, Birla said, "Every moment of the House is invaluable. Houses are meant for discussion, dialogue and committee work, not for disruptions. Opposition may be political, but the forum for words and arguments should be the House, so that meaningful outcomes emerge and public trust is maintained." Concluding his address, Birla said presiding officers function under the Constitution and bear a great responsibility. "They must remain impartial and just while making institutions accountable to the people." PTI KIS MNK MNK