Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 30 (ANI): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, on Monday, inaugurated the annual conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), India Region Zone-2, in Tapovan, Dharamshala.

According to a release, the conference witnessed the participation of Speakers, Deputy Speakers, Chief Whips, and Deputy Chief Whips from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, all part of Zone 2.

In addition, the Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana were present as special guests.

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while welcoming all the dignitaries and congratulating Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Kuldeep Singh Pathania for organising the event, said that this conference was a significant initiative towards strengthening democratic institutions, enhancing legislative processes, fostering democratic dialogue, and promoting regional co-operation.

The Chief Minister stated that for the first time in the history of Himachal Pradesh, an attempt was made to overthrow a democratically elected government. However, the Speaker of Vidhan Sabha took a lawful stance and disqualified the concerned MLAs.

As per the release, CM Sukhu stressed the importance of the Anti-Defection Law in safeguarding democracy and said, 'The State Vidhan Sabha has passed a Bill to stop the pensions of disqualified legislators, which was currently awaiting the Governor's approval.'

He further emphasised that Himachal Pradesh has become a model for other States, especially in terms of digital democracy.

'In 2014, Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha became the first completely paperless Assembly in the country, with all proceedings conducted digitally,' the CM said, according to the release.

He also raised the issue of conducting by-elections only once a year under the proposed 'One Nation, One Election' framework and requested the Lok Sabha Speaker to take up the matter at an appropriate forum.

He also advocated for a separate policy for the hill States, keeping in view the tough topography, and said, 'The Nation cannot prosper if the States do not progress. Himachal has suffered due to the implementation of GST, and therefore, a separate policy should be formulated for Hill States.'

Sukhu further said that the State Government was committed to 'Vyavastha Parivartan' for ensuring good governance. Under the 'Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar' initiative, Ministers have visited over 1,000 Panchayats to engage directly with citizens and address local issues at the earliest. He said that remarkable progress has been made in the fields of health and education.

'Himachal Pradesh secured the 5th position in the NAS Survey 2025, a significant jump from the 21st position in 2021, reflecting the State's commitment to quality education,' he added, as per the release.

The Himachal CM also highlighted the introduction of robotic surgery in the State as a landmark step towards modernising healthcare facilities. He also said that the government is adopting a zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking and has passed the Himachal Pradesh Organised Crime (Prevention & Control) Bill, 2025, which includes provisions for the death penalty, life imprisonment, heavy fines, and confiscation of the property of the offenders.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu reiterated the State's commitment to welfare schemes and agricultural reforms. Over 1.36 lakh government employees have been brought under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), and nearly three lakh women were receiving Rs. 1,500 monthly under the 'Indira Gandhi Pyari Bahna Samman Nidhi Yojana'. The state has introduced Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for wheat, maize, and raw turmeric, he added.

Speaker of the State Assembly, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, extended a warm welcome to all the delegates and expressed pride in hosting the CPA Zone-2 conference for the first time in Dharamsala. He noted that for the past two decades, the Winter session of the Himachal Assembly has been conducted in Dharamshala and that this conference marks a new beginning for many such future events in the region.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan also called for concerted efforts to strengthen democracy and expressed concern over the threat posed by legislators defecting. He congratulated the Speaker for successfully organising the conference.

Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Harivansh Narayan Singh, also spoke on the occasion.

AYUSH Minister Yadvinder Goma, Deputy Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Assembly Vinay Kumar were also present on the occasion, along with several representatives from participating states. (ANI)