Presiding officers play key role in innovations, efficient functioning of Parliament: RS Dy Chairman Harivansh

By Amit Kumar
Canberra [Australia], January 5 : Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh speaking at the 26th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) Canberra, Australia said that presiding officers have an important role to play in leading innovations in various rules, procedures and services leading to the effective and efficient functioning of the Parliament.
Addressing the event on the 'Role of the Presiding Officer in Leading Parliamentary Innovation,' Harivansh said, "Presiding officers enjoy immense powers and authority for running the House. These powers are given to them with a view to ensuring an ordered and effective conduct of proceedings."
"For example, they enjoy certain discretionary powers; their decisions and rulings are not questioned and become precedents for the future. As such, presiding officers have an important role to play in leading innovations in various rules, procedures and services leading to the effective and efficient functioning of the Parliament," he said.
Dy Chairman Rajya Sabha further said in the conference that the presiding officers also sometimes make significant observations, suo moto, in order to clarify the procedural point and guide the House.
The presiding officers of the respective Houses in India have suitably made changes in the existing practice with regard to making Supplementary Questions, Special Mentions and Zero Hour Submissions to allow greater participation of Members in raising issues of public importance.
"Presiding officers drive all kinds of innovation relating to procedures, facilities to members and re-engineering of parliamentary work. Some of the important innovations include the introduction of the Members Online Portal; submission of Notices of Questions by Members through 'e-Notices'; e-Office; electronic transmission of parliamentary papers to the Members; smart identity cards to Members; 'Digital Sansad' app to improve the digital footprint of the Houses and the Members; online 'Dashboard' for information of the Presiding Officers, etc," he added.
Harivansh further said that briefing sessions for Members on important bills by domain experts have been introduced and a dedicated service called Parliamentary Research and Information Support to Members (PRISM) has been put in place to serve the Members.
"As part of outreach, social media is being used as a tool to connect with the people to sensitize the public about parliamentary proceedings, committee meetings, visits of parliamentary delegations and other important parliamentary events. To reduce vehicular emissions and promote a cleaner and greener environment, electric vehicles are being deployed for transporting the Members in the Parliament Complex," he added in his speech.
Dy Chairman Rajya Sabha further added that the presiding officers of both the Houses of the Indian Parliament continue to remain at the forefront of innovative measures to make Parliament a dynamic and vibrant institution.
Harivansh is leading the Indian representation at the 26th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Commonwealth (CSPOC) in Canberra, Australia, held from January 3-6, 2023.
The Deputy Chairman is accompanied by officials of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. The conference was conceptualized in 1969 by Canada to bring the Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments in Commonwealth countries on one platform.
The last such conference was held in Canada in January 2020. The next conference is scheduled to be held in Uganda in 2024.