Sambhav-2024

• Define the Parliamentary Group and Inter-Parliamentary Union.
• Explain the various activities and initiatives of the Parliamentary Group, and how they facilitate the interaction between the Indian Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as well as other parliaments and international organizations.
• Conclude Suitably.

Introduction

The Parliamentary Group is an autonomous body that consists of current or former members of the Parliament. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is its ex-officio President.

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is an international organization of national parliaments, which aims to promote and sustain democracy, peace, and cooperation among its members.

• The Parliamentary Group in India was established in 1949, following a motion adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 16 August 1948. The membership of the Parliamentary Group is open to all current or former members of the Indian Parliament.
• The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the ex-officio President of the Group, and the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are the ex-officio Vice-Presidents of the Group.
• The Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha acts as the ex-officio Secretary-General of the Group.
• The aims of the Parliamentary Group are to promote personal contacts between members of the Indian Parliament, to study questions of public importance, to arrange lectures and seminars, and to foster inter-parliamentary relations.

The Parliamentary Group facilitates the interaction between the Indian Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in the following ways:

• It acts as the National Group of IPU for India and represents the country at the IPU assemblies and meetings.
• It coordinates the exchange of delegations, goodwill missions, and documents with other parliaments through the IPU.
• It organizes seminars, discussions, and orientation courses on various issues of international importance for the members of the Parliament.
• It promotes the values and principles of the IPU, such as democracy, human rights, peace, and cooperation among the parliamentarians.

Significance and Benefits

• Parliamentary Group facilitates the interaction between the Indian Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as well as other parliaments and international organizations, by providing a platform for dialogue, cooperation, and mutual learning on various issues of common interest and concern, such as democracy, human rights, peace, security, development, climate change, gender equality, youth empowerment, etc.
• Parliamentary Group also enhances the role and influence of the Indian Parliament in the global arena, and showcases the achievements and best practices of the Indian parliamentary system and democracy.

Conclusion

Parliamentary Group is an important and essential institution for strengthening the parliamentary democracy and inter-parliamentary relations in India, and for fostering the interaction between the Indian Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as well as other parliaments and international organizations.