Rajasthan Speaker Vasudev Devnani, speaking exclusively to IANS during the All India Presiding Officers Conference, laid out a roadmap for healthier legislatures. More session days, engaged lawmakers, and digital tools are non-negotiable for democracy’s health, he said.
Public issues get short shrift in brief sittings, Devnani warned. ‘Longer assemblies mean better resolutions.’ AIPOC is a hub for refining procedures, discipline, and oversight.
Top proposals gaining traction: Fix minimum working days for thorough question times and law-making; cultivate active involvement via training, logical discourse, and homework on agendas.
The session-shortage gripe is universal and intensifying. A 60-day floor is ideal, but reality bows to legislative harmony. Disruptive turns benefit no one. Rajasthan counters with pre-session all-party meets, gaining ground.
No formal anti-disruption plan emerged, but experience dictates tackling stalemates head-on—perhaps via closed-door leader summits in the Speaker’s office. People’s matters untangle faster than tactical standoffs; talks trump all.
Impartiality under evolving alliances is a presiding officer’s tightrope. Ramp up group dialogues and self-regulate, Devnani advised.
Rajasthan’s tech edge: Zero-paper house with ubiquitous iPads (high uptake), committee e-signing, full digitalization underway, immersive digital museum chronicling decades of history, and same-day speech files on USBs.
Constitutional mandates are met routinely, yet the goal is elevated through prolonged, earnest exchanges fulfilling voter hopes.
Public call: Legislators mirror society—keep ties strong. Vigilant citizens over five years ensure automatic accountability.