Bhubaneswar: On Tuesday, 40 foreign delegates from 12 countries visited the Odisha Assembly and engaged in discussions with Speaker Surama Padhy and other officials, sharing their parliamentary experiences. Padhy noted that the discussions covered various topics, promoting significant international exchange and collaboration aimed at safeguarding democracy globally. The delegates hailed from nations including Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Somalia, the Maldives, Nauru, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Venezuela. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling shared on X, stating, “Joined the 37th International Parliamentary Internship Programme 2025 at Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, in the gracious presence of Hon’ble Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly Smt. @suramapadhybjp and Hon’ble MP Shri @SujeetKOfficial.” Lok Seva Bhawan serves as the State secretariat of Odisha.
Mahaling described the visit as an excellent opportunity for learning, experience sharing, and enhancing global parliamentary ties. He briefed the visiting delegation on the rules and procedures of the Odisha Assembly. This visit was part of a program by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE). The Speaker informed the delegates that the Odisha Vidhan Sabha adheres to exemplary parliamentary practices, having completed 62 days of sessions in the first year of the current 17th Legislative Assembly. Furthermore, she highlighted that all Assembly operations have been digitized and computerized, with ongoing initiatives to achieve a paperless environment. Rajya Sabha member Sujit Kumar provided insights into Indian parliamentary traditions and procedures to the visitors.