Deputy Speaker for independence of Parliament Secretariat

New Delhi, May 30 (UNI) Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charnjit Singh Atwal today called for the independence of Parliament Secretariat and said the Speaker should receive the cooperation of all the members, irrespective of their party affiliations.

''There is no deying the fact that the independence of Parliament Secretariat is imperative for the effective exercise of Executive accountability by Parliament,'' Mr Atwal said at the 18th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association seminar at Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands.

On the role of the Speaker, he said the Speaker symbolised the authority, prestige and dignity of Parliament and his ruling must be respected by all members of the House.

''The Speaker has to conduct the business of the House in such calm and dignified manner that he is respected and honoured by all political parties and individual members alike. To make this happen, he must receive the cooperation of all members of the House, irrespective of their party affiliations,'' a press release quoting Mr Atwal said here.

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