Ayyanna stresses need for more transparency in legislative sessions

Sydney (Australia) : Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu stressed the need for transparency in legislative sessions.

He addressed a workshop on ‘Benchmarking, Standards and Guidelines: Strengthening the Institution of Parliament through the adoption of Best Practices’ at 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary conference in Australia.

Speaker Ch Ayyanna Patrudu highlighted that transparency is the foundation of the Indian Constitution. He pointed out that legislative sessions in India are conducted openly, except in situations related to national security. This transparency, he said, was enshrined both in the Constitution and in legislative rules, allowing citizens to closely follow developmental activities and form their own opinions.

The Speaker mentioned that Andhra Pradesh is fostering civic engagement by telecasting live Assembly sessions. However, he acknowledged that there is still scope for improvement in ensuring full transparency, especially in committee meetings. He suggested that there is a need for a comprehensive governance approach to make committee proceedings accessible to the public.

Another key point discussed was the limited time legislators have to deliberate on crucial proposals due to their active involvement in addressing local issues. He suggested that if each government department fulfills its responsibilities effectively, legislators would have more time for legislative development and amendments.

Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu also observed that while legislative procedures like Zero Hour and Question Hour are designed to keep the government accountable, the effectiveness of such measures can be impacted by the limited number of legislative sessions. He proposed a minimum of 70 Assembly working days each year to address this gap.

He concluded by emphasising that the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly is moving towards a paperless system through ICT adoption, setting an example as a technologically forward-thinking State. He reiterated the State’s commitment to adopting the best practices from around the world and staying ahead in implementing new technologies.