The second day of the ongoing 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) at Lucknow concluded with deliberations on three key themes –

(1) Leveraging technology for transparent, efficient and citizen-centric legislative processes;

(2) Capacity building of legislators to enhance efficiency and strengthen democratic governance; and

(3) Accountability of Legislatures towards the people.

Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla, attended the plenary deliberations and Hon’ble Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh, moderated the discussions.

Addressing the sessions, Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla commended the efforts of Shri Satish Mahana, Hon’ble Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, for integrating best practices adopted by legislatures across the country into the functioning of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Shri Birla also appreciated Shri Mahana’s initiative in recognising the educational qualifications and professional experiences of Members of the Legislative Assembly and utilising them constructively.

Recalling the major deliberations of previous AIPOCs, Shri Birla emphasised the need for healthy competition among State Legislatures on parameters such as excellence, innovation and use of technology. Referring to the discussions held during the AIPOC at Dehradun in 2019, he reiterated his long-standing views on improving the efficiency and functioning of State Legislatures. He informed that a committee has been constituted in this regard, which is examining issues related to standardisation of practices and procedures of legislative bodies in India.

Hon’ble Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh highlighted the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing the efficiency of legislatures and also outlined the various steps required to make this technology appropriate and reliable. Underscoring the practical use of AI in Parliament and various modes of its implementation, he stressed the need for greater coordination between Parliament and State Legislatures so that institutional knowledge of legislatures can be effectively utilised by both Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies.

Tomorrow, January 21, 2026, will be the third and final day of the Conference. On this occasion, Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla will deliver the valedictory address. The closing ceremony will be attended by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath, who will also address the Conference.

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AM