By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Stressing upon the need of proper utilization of parliament to resolve problems of people, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President and MP Asaduddin Owaisi called for certain technical transformation in the parliament procedures.
Owaisi said in his address at a seminar for legislative reforms organised by NGO, PRS Research foundation that parliament’s functioning can become more effective if certain technical changes are made in parliamentary procedures like calling attention motions, short duration discussions and selection of questions for question hour so that individual MPs, irrespective of their party affiliations, can get more time to flag issues concerning their constituency and people of the country at large.
He also advocated for providing of funds to Members of Parliament for research support.
In addition to this he also took exception to the frequent disruption of parliament and said it provides the government an easy escape route in answering critical questions.
“Parliament should be used to debate and discuss peoples’ issues. Disrupting it from carrying out its functions is a cardinal crime. Opposition gives an easy escape route to the government as most of the ministers are scared to speak on real issues concerning our country,” he said.
“The house does not belong to the BJP or the Congress. It is property of the people. So the issues, concerns and grievances of the people must be addressed,” he said added.
He further said that parliament’s functioning of 0nly 90 days in a year is too less a time and it should be increased to 120 days.
“…it doesn’t function for more than 90 days which is too less a time to discuss real issues. Therefore constitution should be amended to fix a minimum days for parliament meet”, Owaisi suggested.
On the functioning of parliamentary standing committee he said that it should include experts and its meetings should be opened to the public for increasing more transparency.