Lucknow/New Delhi, Jan. 19 -- The 86th All India Presiding Officers' Conference (AIPOC) was inaugurated in Lucknow on Monday with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla strongly emphasising that the conduct of Presiding Officers must be "above party politics" and not only be fair but also "appear to be fair" in order to uphold the credibility of legislatures.
Addressing Presiding Officers of State Legislatures at the inaugural session, Birla also flagged the declining number of sittings of State Assemblies as a matter of serious concern and stressed the need to ensure fixed and adequate time for legislative business.
"The longer the House functions, the more meaningful, serious and outcome-oriented discussions happen," the Lok Sabha Speaker said.
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