Om Birla Urges Legislatures to End Deadlocks, Ensure Constructive Debates

The 11th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Conference, hosted by the Karnataka Legislature from 11–13 September 2025 in Bengaluru, concluded with a strong call for enhancing the quality of legislative proceedings and fostering constructive dialogue in India’s democratic institutions.

At the Valedictory Session, Lok Sabha Speaker and CPA India Region President, Shri Om Birla, emphasized that legislatures must establish clear standards to ensure substantive debates and avoid the paralysis caused by planned disruptions.

Call for Dialogue Over Deadlock

Expressing concern over frequent disruptions, Shri Birla stressed that ideological or political disagreements should never halt the functioning of legislatures. He appealed to all political parties to prioritize comprehensive dialogue, underscoring that democratic forums exist to solve differences, not deepen them.

“Rather than stopping proceedings, members must resolve to keep the House functioning,” he said, adding that planned deadlocks erode public trust in institutions. He further urged the media to highlight factual, issue-based debates by elected representatives, to encourage healthy competition in constructive dialogue.

Four Resolutions Adopted

The conference concluded with the adoption of four key resolutions:

1. Eliminating disruptions inside the Houses to strengthen public confidence in democracy.

2. Strengthening research and reference branches of state legislatures, in collaboration with Parliament.

3. Expanding the use of digital technologies in legislative functioning.

4. Increasing participation of youth and women in democratic institutions.

These resolutions reflected a collective commitment to making legislatures more effective, inclusive, and responsive to public aspirations.

Democracy and Viksit Bharat 2047

Shri Birla described India’s vibrant democracy and Constitution as a guiding light for the world, rooted in the country’s ancient traditions of self-governance. He linked the role of legislatures to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, calling upon presiding officers to ensure debates are people-centric and future-oriented.

He recommended increasing the number of sittings and the duration of debates to allow more meaningful participation and deeper policy deliberations.

Modern Challenges in Parliamentary Debates

Highlighting the evolving role of legislatures in the age of science and technology, Shri Birla pointed out that issues like:

• Cybersecurity

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Climate change

• Digital rights

• Constitutional reforms

are now central to parliamentary debates. He emphasized the need for committee-based deliberations, expert consultations, and local-level participation to craft effective solutions to such complex challenges.

Inclusive Leadership and Fair Conduct

Shri Birla urged legislatures to provide leadership opportunities to youth, women, and marginalized communities, ensuring that all sections of society are represented in decision-making.

He also spoke about the role of presiding officers, noting that fairness, patience, and adherence to rules are essential to maintaining the dignity of the House. Presiding officers must prioritize constitutional values over personal opinions while ensuring that every member has the opportunity to present their views.

Participation at the Conference

The conference brought together 45 presiding officers from 26 states and union territories, including:

• 22 Assembly Speakers

• 16 Deputy Speakers

• 4 Chairpersons

• 3 Deputy Chairpersons

The event concluded with remarks from Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot, as well as the Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council and the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, who echoed the need for dialogue-driven democracy.

Theme of the Conference

The overarching theme of the three-day gathering was: “Dialogue and Discussion in Legislative Institutions: A Foundation of Public Trust and a Means to Fulfill Public Aspirations.”

By adopting reform-oriented resolutions, the conference reaffirmed its goal of making India’s legislatures more transparent, inclusive, and responsive—ensuring that democratic institutions continue to be pillars of public trust and engines of national progress.