Gaya: A two-day residential orientation programme for members of the Bihar Legislative Assembly concluded at the Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (BIPARD) in Gaya on Sunday, with discussions centred on strengthening legislative capacity, parliamentary practices and democratic institutions.
The programme was organised jointly by the Bihar Legislative Assembly Secretariat, BIPARD and PRIDE, the parliamentary research and training institute of the Lok Sabha Secretariat. The second and final day featured three technical sessions covering legislative procedure, parliamentary privileges, institutional innovation and the role of parliamentary committees.
Technical Sessions On Legislative Practices
The programme began with legislators planting saplings near Brahmayoni hill at the BIPARD campus before attending the technical sessions.
The first session focused on legislative and parliamentary procedures. Former Bihar deputy chief minister Tarkishore Prasad shared his experience on budget preparation, financial provisions and the functioning of government departments. Partho Goswami, director at PRIDE, Lok Sabha Secretariat, explained the budgetary process, legislative procedures, government and private members’ Bills, committee functions and financial memoranda.
MLAs Sandeep Saurabh and Umesh Kushwaha also addressed the session, highlighting the importance of Question Hour, welfare-oriented legislation and the role of technology in improving transparency and accountability in legislative work.
Discussions On Privileges And Innovation
The second session examined parliamentary privileges and institutional innovation.
Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana said public trust remained the greatest asset of an elected representative and emphasised responsible use of legislative privileges. He also underlined the need for coordination among the legislature, executive, judiciary and the media.
Additional Director General of Police (Rail), Kamal Kishore Singh, explained the legal aspects of legislative privileges, while Rajya Sabha Secretariat Joint Secretary Raghav Prasad Das discussed constitutional provisions and parliamentary conventions. MLA Praful Kumar Manjhi also participated in the discussion.
Parliamentary Committees In Focus
The final session focused on parliamentary committees, their functions, reports and limitations.
Lok Sabha MP Jagdambika Pal and other speakers discussed the role of committees in legislative scrutiny, financial discipline and public interest lawmaking. MLAs Deepa Kumari, Kamrul Hoda and Satish Kumar Singh Yadav also shared their view11 Ju s.
The organisers said the interactive sessions included extensive question-and-answer discussions between legislators and subject experts.
Programme Inaugurated By Vice-President
The orientation programme was inaugurated on Saturday by Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan. Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bihar Legislative Council Chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh attended the inaugural ceremony.
As part of the programme, legislators also visited prominent religious and cultural sites in Gaya, including the Vishnupad Temple, the Mahabodhi Temple and the Mangla Gauri Temple.
Assembly Speaker Highlights Outcomes
Addressing a press conference after the closing ceremony, Bihar Legislative Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar said members from both the ruling alliance and the opposition had participated with equal enthusiasm and seriousness.
He said the sessions on parliamentary procedures, legislative responsibilities, parliamentary traditions and the role of elected representatives had created a meaningful platform for dialogue and knowledge sharing. According to the Speaker, the insights gained during the programme would help improve legislators’ parliamentary performance, strengthen the quality of legislative proceedings and contribute to more effective democratic governance.
Deputy Speaker Narendra Narayan Yadav delivered the vote of thanks, describing the initiative as a collective effort to strengthen democratic institutions rather than a programme linked to any single political party.
During the closing ceremony, Gaya Divisional Commissioner Safina A. N., Inspector General of Police Vikas Vaibhav, District Magistrate Shashank Shubhankar, Senior Superintendent of Police Sushil Kumar and senior BIPARD officials were felicitated for their contribution to the event.
