President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday said elected representatives should engage in a healthy dialogue in Parliament and legislative Assemblies and refrain from using unparliamentary language during debates in the House. Use of unparliamentary language and indiscipline in the House by elected members hurts the sentiments of people who elect them, Kovind said addressing the inaugural session of 80th All India Presiding Officers” Conference at Tent City in Gujarat”s Kevadia village, near the Statue of Unity in Narmada district.
“It is expected from elected representatives that they remain committed to democratic values. The biggest challenge for elected representatives and democratic institutions is to fulfill the expectations of people. I believe that people of this country expect that their elected representatives to follow parliamentary norms. People get hurt when their elected representatives use unparliamentary words or indulge in indiscipline in Parliament or in the Assembly,” Kovind said.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla were also present on the occasion and addressed the session. Naidu talked about the judiciary process and cited some judgments that gave a distinct impression of the judiciary”s overreach. The higher judiciary deciding on Diwali fireworks, denying the executive any role in the appointment of judges through collegiums, invalidating the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act seeking to enforce accountability and transparency were some of the instances of judicial overreach cited by the vice president.
Naidu stressed that the legislature, the executive and the judiciary are bound to work within their respective domains as defined in the Constitution.
Naidu said harmony lies in each organ doing its job, without interfering with that of the others. This warrants a spirit of mutual respect, responsibility and restraint. Unfortunately, there have been several instances of crossing the boundaries,” Naidu who is also the Chairman of Rajya Saha stated in his address at the 80th All India Presiding Officers” Conference.
Talking about the executive, the vice president said there have been cases when rules framed under the delegated “subordinate legislation” violated the provisions of the original legislation passed by Parliament. Expressing concern over the frequent disruptions in the legislatures, Naidu said the “decency, dignity and decorum” of the temples of democracy will be upheld only through adherence to three “Ds” — debate, discuss and decide.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stressed on harmonious coordination between the legislature, executive and judiciary. Addressing the Conference, he said constitution provides the basis for the functioning of parliament and state assemblies according to people”s aspirations. In a democracy, there can be a difference of opinion among institutions. But with improvement in procedures, constitutional provisions and democratic norms, solutions can be found, he said.