By IANS,
Thimphu : Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, on a three-day visit to Bhutan, Thursday said India’s democratic experience needed to be shared with the Himalayan kingdom that adopted constitutional monarchy from absolute monarchy in 2007.
“India’s democratic experience should be shared with Bhutan with a view to strengthen the institution of parliament in Bhutan,” said Meira Kumar, who is heading an Indian parliamentary delegation to the Himalayan nation.
The Lok Sabha speaker, who arrived Wednesday on a three-day trip, Thursday met her Bhutanese counterpart Lyonpo Jigme Tshultim in the National Assembly building.
She will address the joint session of the Bhutanese parliament Friday which commences its fifth session since the first national parliamentary elections were held in December 2007.
Meira Kumar will be the first Indian speaker to address the joint session of the Bhutanese parliament.
During her meeting with Tshultim she hoped that India’s “very special” Bhutan relations will remain so “for all times to come”.
“It will be our endeavour to further strengthen the ties in a spirit of partnership and mutual benefit,” she said.
She made a mention of the bilateral cooperation that covers sectors like hydropower, health, education, human resource development, media, information technology and telecom.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj is also part of the parliamentary delegation with Meira Kumar.