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Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Friday held a cordial and substantive meeting with Lord McFall of Alcluith PC, the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom Parliament, at the Parliament House in New Delhi, according to a release.
The interaction took place on the sidelines of the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), being hosted by India from January 14 to 16. Welcoming the Lord Speaker to the Rajya Sabha, the Vice President expressed pleasure at his participation in the conference and said his presence underscored the continuing friendship and strong parliamentary ties between the two countries. He said the visit would be productive and enjoyable and would offer an opportunity to engage closely with India's parliamentary traditions, culture and democratic ethos. During the meeting, the Vice President said India and the United Kingdom share a long and complex history, including parliamentary traditions that have evolved over centuries. He noted that India's parliamentary system has drawn inspiration from the Westminster model while evolving organically to reflect India's unique democratic framework. Highlighting common democratic values, the Vice President underlined the shared commitment of both Parliaments to the rule of law, parliamentary privilege and effective democratic oversight of the executive. In the Indian context, he emphasised the importance of freedom of speech with responsibility and cautioned that it cannot be used for disruptive activities. He said these common principles form a solid foundation for mutual learning. The Vice President emphasised the importance of parliamentary diplomacy as a cornerstone of Commonwealth relations and reaffirmed India's commitment to exchange programmes for parliamentary delegations. He said India has hosted and participated in numerous inter-parliamentary delegations and suggested that it would be fruitful to discuss avenues for joint workshops, training programmes and knowledge-sharing initiatives. The Vice President said digital innovation has transformed parliamentary operations globally and that India has integrated e-parliament systems, live streaming, and digitised records into its parliamentary processes. He expressed interest in the House of Lords' experience implementing digital initiatives, particularly in enhancing accessibility, promoting transparency, and fostering public engagement. He highlighted the potential benefits of collaboration in leveraging technology to support legislative drafting, facilitate committee deliberations and encourage citizen participation, the release said. The Vice President said the Commonwealth provides a unique platform for parliamentarians to share ideas, learn from each other and uphold democratic standards. He added that presiding officers bear a shared responsibility to ensure that parliamentary democracy continues to deliver effectively for all sections of society. The Vice President suggested that India and the United Kingdom could collaborate to advance key global priorities in parliamentary and multilateral forums. These include promoting women's political participation, strengthening climate resilience through legislative action, coordinating education, especially higher education, as a tool of soft power, and harnessing technology to make governance more inclusive, transparent, and citizen-centric. Concluding the meeting, the Vice President reaffirmed India's steadfast commitment to democratic values and said it provides a strong foundation for continued engagement between the two countries. He expressed hope that the visit would further strengthen bonds and inspire joint initiatives that can serve as a model for the Commonwealth and the world, the release stated. Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, was also present at the meeting. (ANI)
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