Lucknow, Jan. 20 -- The inaugural session of the 86th All-India Presiding Officers' Conference (AIPOC) held here on Monday witnessed a rare unanimity among the legislature, the executive and the Opposition on growing concern about the shortening of state legislature sessions and the adverse impact on democratic functioning.

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel and Leader of the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Mata Prasad Pandey were all on the same page on the need to conduct legislature sessions in states for longer and more meaningful durations.

All three expressed serious concern over the prevailing trend of state legislature sessions being convened for very short periods, which, they said, ...