Panel reports constructive, should not be seen as attacks on govt: LS Speaker Birla

Parliamentary panel reports should be taken constructively by governments and not seen merely as criticism, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Tuesday.

Addressing the valedictory session of the National Conference of Estimates Committees of Parliament and State/UT Legislatures, Birla said a strong view emerged that parliamentary committees are not adversarial to the government but serve as a guide.

"I believe governments should treat committee reports constructively. Officials must also take them seriously and ensure action-taken reports are submitted on time," he said.


Birla noted that members of parliamentary committees bring rich public service experience, which they contribute during deliberations.

"Our founding fathers envisioned democracy as a means to gauge the people's pulse and expectations from the government," he said, adding that elected representatives must ensure those expectations are voiced and met.

Greater transparency in governance, Birla added, would lead to better functioning across both central and state governments.

He said the two-day conference, organised to mark the 75th anniversary of the Estimates Committee, adopted a resolution to strengthen oversight by fixing a minimum number of sittings.

It was also agreed to standardise the number of reports and introduce capacity-building programmes for members to improve budget scrutiny and financial analysis.

Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan also addressed the session, which was attended by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde, and Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe, among others.