Maha Speaker Rahul Narwekar to head anti-defection law review committee

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Sunday said that a committee headed by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar would be formed to review the countrys antidefection lawHe made the announcement after the 84th All India Presiding Officers Conference in Mumbai newswire PTI reportedThe Tenth Schedule of the Constitution provides for the prevention of defection of the elected and nominated members from their political party and contains stringent provisions for curbing the menace of switching over of legislatorsBirla said Narwekar will head the committee that will be formed to review the antidefection lawEarlier this month Narwekar gave his verdict on crosspetitions filed by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of each others MLAs under the antidefection law following a split in the party in 2022Narwekar is currently hearing similar petitions filed by two rival NCP factionsMeanwhile Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said debates in legislative bodies have been reduced to quarrels and likened disruptions and disturbances in legislatures to the COVID menace for democracyAddressing the valedictory session of the 84th All India Presiding Officers Conference he said presiding officers of legislative bodies should invoke their authority to ensure decorumldquoIt is no secret that disturbances and disruptions are planned at whose behest placards are printed and slogans coined Political weaponry is counterproductive and had no place in our system he saidThe erosion of public faith in representative bodies and representatives is ldquocancerousrdquo for the society he saidThe presiding officers should engage in stocktaking and invoke authority to ensure decorum They must do correctional therapy to stop degeneration he saidThe vice president also said the presiding officers should also ensure the blossoming and nurturing of the firsttime legislatorsldquoThe presiding officers are guardians of the democratic pillarsrdquo he saidldquoBe receptive to the others point of view Debates are the cornerstone of democracy They have been reduced to quarrels and it is a painful scenariordquo Dhankhar saidThe incidences of indiscipline and unbecoming demeanour are on the rise and pride is taken in disruptions he lamentedldquoThis is disturbing and calls for an introspection to find a way out Dhankhar said adding that it is essential for the presiding officers of both houses of a legislature to work in tandemDhankhar said a strong democracy thrives not just on sound principles but also on leaders committed to upholding themldquoAs presiding officers we bear the responsibility of being guardians of democratic pillarsrdquo he said The presiding officers duties include ensuring that the legislative process is meaningful accountable effective and transparent giving voice to the people Dhankhar saidLegislature is the most impactful platform for reflection of all shades of opinions ldquoPeople from all states of the country come they bring to the table various points of view There is a need to be receptive to the other point of viewrdquo he saidHe said the scenario at present is that debates have been reduced to quarrels and called it disgustful and painful for the publicldquoLook at the people outside They elect us they have expectations from us They want their aspiration to be realised through us And look at how painful it is for them the spectacle when someone engages in disruptions And then its all the more painful as they take pride in disruptionrdquo he saidSuch disruptions and disturbances are no less than the COVID menace for democracy Dhankhar said As a consequence of this ldquomenacing trendrdquo both productivity and quality of contributions are virtually nosediving he saidWhen legislators engage in disruptive and unruly conduct within the hallowed precincts of legislative bodies it leads to a subtle erosion of faith in the institutions created by the Constitution that is the nectar of democracy he saidThe erosion of public trust in their representative bodies or for that matter their representatives is perhaps the most worrisome thing which should engage the utmost attention of the political class of the countryDisruption in legislatures is cancerous not only for legislatures but also for democracy and society Curbing it is not optional but an absolute necessity to save the sanctity of the legislature he saidIt is high time presiding officers invoked their authority to ensure discipline and decorum as the lack of these is virtually shaking the very foundations of legislatures he saidTo ensure democracy thrives in the country Dhankhar said parliamentarians should believe in 4 Ds iquest Dialogue Debate Decorum and Deliberations iquest maintain maximum distance from 2 Ds iquest Disturbance and DisruptionHe also said the website of Parliament will have all the laws and acts enacted so far and people will have access to them With inputs from PTI