New Delhi, Jan. 16 -- Asserting that the strength and relevance of democratic institutions depend on their ability to remain open and people-centric, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said Parliaments can endure and command public trust only when they are transparent, inclusive, responsive and fully accountable to citizens. He was delivering the valedictory address at the conclusion of the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi.
"Transparency in decision-making fosters public trust, while inclusivity ensures that every voice-especially those on the margins of society-is heard and respected," Birla said, adding that together these principles "sustain the legitimacy of democratic instit...