Mah to host 2-day All India Whips conference from Feb 4

Mumbai, Feb 2 (UNI) Vice President Hameed Ansari will inaugurate the two-day All India Whips Conference at the Vidhan Bhavan here, to be held from February 4.

Maharashtra is hosting the conference after 46 years. The first meeting was held in Indore on September 13, 1952. So far, 13 such meetings have been held and the last was held in Hyderabad in 2005.

Addressing a press conference here, Maharashtra Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Patil said around 125 to 130 delegates will attend the two-day deliberations.

As many as 25 to 30 observers from all states will be present, he added.

Mr Patil said the increased role of Whips in coalition governments, frequent disruptions of the house hampering the Question Hour, allotting a full day to general debate raised by members, membership of committees, would be some of the issues to be deliberated.

Code of Conduct for elected representatives, maintaining decorum of the Legislature were also some of topics on the agenda, he said.

The issue of only parties with members constituting 1/10th of the total strength of the house having their Whips would also be discussed.

Maharashtra was the first state in the country to have introduced thumb impression of members, Mr Patil informed.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chaterjee, Governor S M Krishna, and Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh will attend the convention.

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