Members and Presiding Officers of legislatures should maintain each other's dignity, President Ram Nath Kovind said

The medium of dialogue is the best medium for not allowing the debate to become a dispute in a democratic system, President Ram Nath Kovind said today calling the democratic system as the most effective means of people’s welfare.

Speaking at the Inauguration of the 80th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference at Gujarat’s Kevadia, he said that in a parliamentary democracy, the opposition also has an important role along with the ruling party, and, therefore harmony, cooperation and meaningful deliberation between the two is necessary.

The theme of the Conference this year is ‘Harmonious Coordination between Legislature, Executive and Judiciary- Key to a Vibrant Democracy.’ He said that in India, all three organs of the state namely the executive, the legislature and the judiciary have been working in harmony.

President Kovind said that the democratic system is eventually governed by the supreme goal of peoples’ welfare, especially the upliftment of the poor, backward and the deprived sections of our society and the progress of the country. He expressed confidence that the three organs of governance together will continue to work towards achieving this goal.

Bestowing great responsibility on Presiding Officers, he said, the officers should work to provide a congenial atmosphere for a healthy debate to the peoples’ representatives in the House and to encourage courteous dialogue and discussion.

He said that the Chair of the Speaker of the House symbolizes both - dignity and duty. It demands sincerity and sense of justice. It also symbolizes impartiality, righteousness and fairness and it is expected from Presiding Officers that their conduct is inspired by these ‘lofty ideals.’

Calling it a matter of pride to be a Member of Parliament and Legislature, he said that the Presiding Officers should maintain each other's dignity for the betterment of people and progress of the country. He said that the Parliament and Legislative Assemblies have an important responsibility to work for a better future of the countrymen.

In the last few decades, he said, expectations, aspirations and awareness of the general public have been on the rise. Peoples’ representatives, he said, are expected to remain true to the principles of democracy. The biggest challenge before democratic institutions and peoples’ representatives is to live up to the expectations of the people, he said.

Earlier, President Kovind also visited the Statue of Unity in Kevadia and paid his homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The 80th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference is a platform for discussions on ways to ensure constitutional accountability of the legislature. The issues related to working of the state legislature assemblies will be discussed during the two-day conference.

The concluding session of the Conference will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow through video conferencing. This year is the centenary year of the Presiding Officers’ Conference which started in the year 1921.