IEP Chandigarh, November 8
National Legislators’ Conference (NLC) is being jointly organised by the legislative bodies, non-governmental institutions and civil society with active support of the MIT School of Government, Pune in Mumbai from June 16 to 18 next year. Around 4,000 legislators representing various political parties from across the country are expected to attend it.
NIC is also seeking support from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UNESCO. NLC is a democracy carnival aimed at propagating the ethos of India’s democracy in the world through leadership transformation, good governance and peace-building.
It aims at creation of a cohesive ecosystem among leaders of all ideologies for the common cause of development, instilling the spirit of nationhood, encouraging clean leadership for enhancing good governance, and creating a model to be reckoned with globally.
Meanwhile addressing a round table discussion to lay the framework for NLC on Tuesday, former Lok Sabha Speaker Shivraj Patil said that the aim of the NLC is to train the elected representatives and make them aware their duties and responsibilities. It is a unique and first-of-its kind initiative to develop a multi-partisan forum which will go a long way to make our Democracy more vibrant, stronger and healthie, he informed.
Former Lok Sabha Speakers Sumitra Mahajan and Meira Kumar also addressed the round table which was also attended by assembly speakers of over a dozen states , former Secretary Generals of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and several senior bureaucrats who shared their expertise towards nation-building and good governance.
Meira Kumar said,” Indian system of parliamentary democracy is revered and honoured across the world. It is an outcome of our long struggle for Independence. People elect their MPs and MLAs and that is why the importance of our Parliament and State Assemblies is supreme. We all need to ensure that the rights and privileges that our constitution has given to our people are being safeguarded; it is our duty as elected representatives. Keeping these aspects in mind, the upcoming NLC holds a great significance as will lay the path for development and strengthening of our democratic values.”