Mumbai, Jan 28 (PTI) Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Sunday said that dissent in some form has always been a part of the democratic set-up, but that must be within limits and adhere to the rules and procedures of the house.

He was addressing the 84th All India Presiding Officers' Conference.

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“These days, disruptions start from the first few days of the session and continue for several days, indicating that these disruptions are often planned and meant to interrupt the primary job of the legislature,” Harivansh said.

He said many members do not wish to disrupt legislative proceedings but often get influenced by parties to participate.

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“There is a need to ensure better party coordination and consensus in the smooth functioning of legislatures,” he said.

Harivansh suggested that states consider reviewing their rules and procedures to ensure they are in line with present needs and better time allocation in conducting the business of the house.

The deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha highlighted the various patterns of disruptions in the legislatures in the country and challenges before the presiding officers in running the house.

“Dissent in some form has always been a part of the democratic set-up and is understandable during occasional debates in the legislature. However, they must be within limits and adhere to the rules and procedures of the house,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of the committee system, he said that though committees are not a direct answer to disruptions they serve as a cooling process and indirectly help reduce friction on the floor of the house.

He highlighted various efforts of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees in Parliament that have aided the government in better framing and implementation of policies.

He also underlined the importance of budget scrutiny, particularly in the state legislatures and the need to empower the Subordinate Legislation Committee for better scrutiny of rules.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)