New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today emphasised that the Election Commission of India has an excellent track record of conducting free, fair, independent, and impartial elections. He added that India is a vibrant democracy with nearly one billion voters. Highlighting the encouraging participation of women in the election process in India, he noted that this demonstrates the inclusiveness of the country's electoral process.

Birla made these remarks during his meeting with the Speaker of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, Lindsay Hoyle, in London today. Mentioning that India is celebrating 75 years of the adoption of its Constitution, Birla stated that the Constitution has brought transformative socio-economic changes in the country. He expressed hope that India will become a developed country by 2047, marking the centenary of its independence.

Noting that democracy in India is deep-rooted from the grassroots level to Parliament, Birla mentioned that the country is bridging the gender gap in the economy, polity, and society through policy interventions. Highlighting India's achievements as a parliamentary democracy, Birla emphasised that despite its diversities, India has been successful in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of different sections of society through parliamentary dialogue and discussion.

Referring to the use of digital technology in the Indian Parliament, the Lok Sabha Speaker noted that it has empowered legislators and helped them discharge their parliamentary responsibilities more efficiently. State legislatures are also adopting new technologies to improve their functions, he said. Calling for strengthening parliamentary cooperation between India and the UK, Birla stressed the need for more exchange of parliamentary knowledge, best practices, and experiences between the two countries. He suggested that youth and women parliamentarians of both countries should interact more frequently.

Birla informed that the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) at the Lok Sabha Secretariat has emerged as a world-class institution in providing parliamentary training. He discussed strengthening parliamentary cooperation through the capacity building of legislators.

Observing that people-to-people ties form the foundation of warm bilateral relations between the two countries, Birla expressed the view that this camaraderie has made the relationship stronger and more multifaceted. He noted that bilateral relations between India and the UK have strengthened in fields such as science and technology, research and innovation, and space, benefiting the people of both countries. Referring to the historical, cultural, and economic ties between India and the United Kingdom, Birla noted with satisfaction that both countries are collaborating to solve humanitarian problems such as food and health security and addressing growing challenges like climate change.

On this occasion, the Lok Sabha Speaker extended New Year greetings to Lindsay Hoyle and congratulated him on his re-election as Speaker of the House of Commons.

BI Bureau