Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the two-day 85th All India Presiding Officers Conference (AIPOC) on Monday and expressed concerns over the eroding dignity and respect of Parliament and the legislatures.

Birla said: “The AIPOC had expressed worry about the erosion of the dignity of the Houses in 1952-54. It is still there and becoming more serious. We need to maintain and uphold the dignity of the Houses and come true to the aspirations of our people. We need to find ways to do it.”

The Lok Sabha Speaker also expressed concern over the decreasing number of sittings of legislative bodies, and urged presiding officers to make efforts to address the issue.

“The continuous impasse in the House, venturing to the well, sloganeering, and planned obstructions are things to be worried about. We need to discuss among ourselves and resolve these. The decreasing number of the sittings of the legislatures is also a matter of concern,” he further added.

His comments came amid reports that the Delhi Assembly held a mere 74 sittings in its entire five-year tenure.

Speaking after inaugurating the conference, Birla suggested that the political parties should form a code of conduct for their members because the prestige of the Houses depend on them.

Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh, Bihar Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav, senior Bihar ministers, Speakers and Deputy Speakers from all the states and secretaries were present on the occasion.

Addressing further, Birla advocated training the members of the Houses in legislative drafting so that better and farsighted laws couldbe made.

He also announced that Parliament and all legislatures in the country would be brought on a single digital platform this year.

“Our aim is to bring all legislative Assemblies, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on a single digital platform in 2025 so that the public can see their functioning. It will also promote meaningful discussion and help fulfill our aim of one nation, one Constitution,” Birla said.

The Lok Sabha Speaker expressed hope that serious discussions at the AIPOC would help conserve and enhance the respect of Parliament and the legislatures. He also suggested that the role of the parliamentary committees should be increased.

“The parliamentary committees are like mini-Parliament and help increase the efficiency of parliamentary works, maintain transparency, monitor the functioning of the government and keep a vigil on its expenditure,” Birla added.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar and the leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav did not attend the AIPOC.

Nitish went to Supaul district on Monday as part of his ongoing Pragati Yatra. He will tour neighbouring districts Kishanganj, Araria, and Saharsa before returning to Patna for the Republic Day programme on January 26.

The absence of Nitish and his close ministers from the high profile programme once again fanned speculations about everything not being well in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

However, a senior Janata Dal United (JDU) leader downplayed the absence. “Nitish Kumar’s schedule was fixed before the conference was finalised. His senior colleague and rural development minister Sharwan Kumar was present on the dais with the Lok Sabha Speaker,” he told this newspaper.

On the other hand, both the deputy chief ministers — Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha — attended the programme.

Tejashwi was on his pre-scheduled tour to meet party workers and leaders across Bihar.

“He (Tejashwi) spent his day at Aurangabad and reached Rohtas in the evening as part of his ongoing tour. He will be in Rohtas tomorrow,” RJD spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan told The Telegraph.

This was the third time Bihar was hosting the AIPOC after a gap of 43 years. It was previously held in 1981.

Additional reporting by PTI