New Delhi, May 12 -- Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday strongly supported the proposal for a Uniform Model of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business for legislative bodies across the country, calling it a major democratic reform aimed at improving transparency, accountability and efficiency in legislative functioning.
Speaking at the preliminary meeting of the Committee of Presiding Officers in Mysore, Karnataka, Gupta said harmonised legislative procedures had become an "institutional necessity" in the era of digital governance and technology-driven legislatures.
"Uniformity in legislative procedures is no longer merely desirable; it has become an institutional necessity in the era of digital legislatures and technology-driven governance," Gupta said.
He added that harmonised rules would strengthen transparency, executive accountability and coherence across democratic institutions
in India.
The meeting, chaired by Satish Mahana, was attended by Speakers from several state legislatures, including Maharashtra, Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka.
Referring to constitutional provisions, Gupta said Articles 118 and 208 of the Constitution, along with Section 33 of the GNCTD Act, provide a strong legal basis for procedural harmonisation among legislatures. He noted that most state assemblies already broadly follow Lok Sabha procedures with suitable local modifications.
Highlighting the importance of digitisation through the National e-Vidhan Application (NEVA), Gupta said common procedural standards would help legislatures adopt digital systems such as e-committees, online documentation and technology-based oversight more effectively.
The Delhi Assembly Speaker also informed that the Delhi Legislative Assembly Secretariat has initiated steps to revise and modernise its Rules of Procedure.
"The revised framework will ensure consistency with Lok Sabha Rules while also making the rules gender neutral," he said.
Gupta further stated that the Delhi Assembly currently has 35 committees dealing with subjects ranging from welfare of students and senior citizens to transgender persons and unauthorised colonies.
Concluding his remarks, Gupta said adopting a Uniform Model of Rules of Procedure would strengthen India's democratic institutions and promote a more transparent and accountable parliamentary culture nationwide.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.