Srinagar, September 12, 2025 : Abdul Rahim Rather, Speaker of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly, attended the 11th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Conference held in Bengaluru, Karnataka, from September 11 to 13, 2025. The event brought together Speakers, Secretaries, and senior parliamentary officials from all States and Union Territories across India.
The conference began with the inaugural address by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, setting the stage for discussions under the theme:
“Debates & Discussions in the Houses of Legislature: Building People’s Trust, Meeting People’s Aspirations.”
During his keynote address, Speaker Rather highlighted the crucial role of legislatures as forums for constructive debate and public policy deliberation.
“It is a matter of immense pride and privilege to speak on a topic that lies at the very heart of our democracy. The legislature is not merely a building of bricks and stones; it is a temple of democracy where the voice of the people resonates, and the future of our nation is shaped,” he remarked.
Focusing on the essence of informed deliberation, the Speaker stressed:
“Debate is the soul of democracy. When legislators engage in meaningful discussions, people begin to trust the system. Trust is strengthened when we move beyond disruption to discussion, beyond personal attacks to policy analysis, beyond noise to nuance.”
He emphasized that legislative debates must address real issues faced by citizens, promote inclusive growth, and focus on actionable solutions. “Every time a law is passed after thorough debate, every time a policy is improved through suggestions in the House, it is the people’s aspiration being honoured,” he observed.
Speaker Rather also underscored the need for responsible conduct among members of the legislature.
“When debates are reduced to shouting matches, when discussions turn into walkouts, the message that goes to the people is not of strength but of weakness. We must demand that our representatives come prepared, respect decorum, and focus on solutions, not stunts,” he said.
On the sidelines of the conference, Speaker Rather met with Stephen Twigg, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The Speaker expressed his gratitude for the recent restoration of Jammu & Kashmir’s membership in the CPA. In turn, the Secretary General extended an invitation to Speaker Rather to attend the upcoming CPA conference scheduled in Barbados in the first week of October 2025.
The Speaker was accompanied by Manoj Pandita, Secretary of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly, during the event.
