Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Legislative Assembly showcased its digital transformation, legislative practices and democratic journey at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference in Cape Town, South Africa. Assembly Secretary Satyabrata Rout on Sunday presented a paper highlighting the best practices adopted by the state legislature.
Rout highlighted the evolution of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from the pre-Independence era to the present-day digital Assembly, underlining the various reforms undertaken to strengthen legislative functioning and promote greater engagement with democratic institutions.
Odisha became a separate state in 1936, and its first Legislative Assembly began functioning in 1937 with 60 members. The strength of the House has since increased to 147 members.
Presenting his paper on ‘Best Practices of the Odisha Legislative Assembly’, Rout said the Assembly had held 103 sitting days during the first two years of the 17th Legislative Assembly, with proceedings spanning around 470 hours. He said the figure was the highest among the Legislative Assemblies of Indian states.
The Assembly has also undertaken several measures towards digital transformation and institutional reforms. Orientation programmes have been organised for newly elected and first-time legislators to familiarise them with legislative procedures and the functioning of the House.
The Assembly has also been encouraging young people to understand democratic institutions. Study visits have been organised for school and college students, providing them an opportunity to learn about the functioning of the legislature and democratic processes.
Rout also highlighted the functioning of the Assembly’s various committees. Of the 35 committees, 10 departmental committees are involved in formulating budget proposals after deliberating on departmental priorities, expenditure estimates, planning and optimal utilisation of resources.
The presentation also outlined how the Assembly’s institutional journey has evolved alongside technological changes, reflecting its efforts to modernise legislative processes while retaining established parliamentary practices.
The conference in Cape Town saw the participation of 180 secretaries from 56 countries. Rout was selected to present a paper at the international forum on the practices of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.
The presentation received appreciation from secretaries representing several countries, including Canada, Bangladesh and Australia, according to officials.
Secretaries from 21 Legislative Assemblies also attended the event. They included Dr Yumnam Arun Kumar, Secretary of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, besides secretaries of the Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
The participation of the Odisha Legislative Assembly at the conference provided an opportunity to share the state’s legislative practices and reforms with parliamentary officials from India and other countries, while also facilitating an exchange of experiences and ideas on legislative functioning.
