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Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Harivansh participated in the session on 'National Parliaments vs Provincial, Territorial, Devolved Legislatures' at the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Bridgetown, Barbados on Thursday. In his remarks, the Deputy Chairman apprised the participants from various countries about the key features of India's federal structure and how some of the constitutional provisions operate with practical insights, an official statement from the Rajya Sabha Secretariat noted.
As per the statement, the session was focused on identifying the structure of decentralisation in various Commonwealth nations, focusing on the balance between national and sub-national Legislatures, and sharing of best practices. In his remarks, the Deputy Chairman touched upon the federal balance outlined in Schedule VII of the Indian Constitution and the critical role played by successive Finance Commissions in managing the fiscal transfers between the national and state governments. In this context he noted that, "Protecting the separation of powers is not only a constitutional necessity, but it also promotes a political culture of respect, dialogue, and accommodation." "In addition to the formal separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution, there are government bodies that facilitate vibrant discussions and foster the cooperative spirit of federalism. For instance, the NITI Aayog Governing Council provides a platform to discuss inter-sectoral, inter-departmental, and federal issues to accelerate the implementation of the national development agenda". The statement noted that in his concluding remarks, he stated that India's experience shows unity in diversity is possible while safeguarding federal provisions. India's journey can serve as a guiding principle for other nations in promoting equitable regional development within a democratic framework. During the conference, the delegation consisting of the Lok Sabha Speaker and various other Members of Parliament (MPs) participated in different workshops such as leveraging technology, climate change, financial transparency, and others. The delegation also held bilateral meetings with Presiding Officers from Jamaica, Australia, Zambia, and Barbados. The theme of the Conference is 'The Commonwealth: A Global Partner.' On the sidelines of the conference, the delegation also interacted with the Indian community. As per the statement, the Indian delegation is being led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Alongside the Deputy Chairman, MPs Anurag Sharma, D. Purandeswari, K Sudhakar, Dr. Ajeet Gopchade, D Rekha Sharma and Presiding Officers from various states are part of the delegation. The Secretary General of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively are also part of the delegation. (ANI)
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