Om Birla inaugurates two-day legislative drafting workshop

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today inaugurated a two-day training workshop on Legislative Drafting and Capacity Building organised by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha in collaboration with the Institute of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies, Lok Sabha, at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Sector 26, Chandigarh.

Calling legislative drafting the “soul of democracy,” Birla stressed the importance of clarity and simplicity in law-making. “Clear, simple and transparent laws strengthen democratic institutions and deepen citizens’ trust in governance. Laws must evolve with changing times. With proper training, we can ensure future legislation is more welfare-oriented and responsive to society’s needs,” he said.

The inaugural session was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, Karnataka Speaker UT Khader Fareed and Deputy Speaker Dr Krishan Lal Middha.

Birla praised Haryana for its achievements in agriculture, industry and culture and lauded the government for creating a “historic milestone by procuring all crops at the minimum support price under the leadership of the Chief Minister.”

Highlighting the enduring relevance of the Constitution, Birla said, “It was drafted after exhaustive debate, dialogue and consensus-building. It guided the nation at Independence and continues to serve as a living inspiration today. Legislatures, within their powers, transform people’s aspirations into laws.”

Recalling how legislative departments once had many seasoned experts, he noted their numbers had declined over the years. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah recognised the importance of regular training in legislative drafting to bridge this gap. Such programmes allow younger officers to learn from senior experts who shaped landmark laws,” he said.

The Lok Sabha Speaker underlined that laws must leave no room for ambiguity. “If a law is clear, transparent and simple, it becomes truly useful to citizens. Grey areas in drafting weaken the intent of laws during judicial scrutiny,” he observed.

Democracy, he added, thrives on “debate, dialogue, and even dissent, provided the ultimate objective remains public welfare.”

Terming the initiative of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha “a vital step towards creating effective, welfare-driven, and contemporary laws,” Birla said legislation must always reflect the aspirations of the people and the real needs of the state. He expressed confidence that the two-day workshop would provide a platform for diverse perspectives, enabling lawmakers to draft stronger and welfare-oriented laws.