Russian MPs impressed with Indian Parliament

Impressed by the Indian parliamentary procedures, Russian MPs want to introduce them in their Parliament, as Russia moves towards a multi-party democracy.

''We are very much impressed with the way open discussions on important subjects take place in the Indian Parliament.... We want to incorporate that,'' senator Nokolai Tulaev said

Tulaev is heading a three-member delegation of senators from the Russian Federation Council.

The senators are also impressed by the healthy interaction between the government and the Parliamentarians, which they say, is lacking in Russia.

The delegation has met Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rehman and seen the working of the two Houses.

They learnt the peculiarities of the legislative process, including the procedure of adoption of financial statues and constitutional amendments.

Tulaev said that they would invite Indian MPs, to participate in the 15th anniversary of the Russian Parliament, to be held in October this year.

Chatterjee said that the two countries could share their experiences in the working of a parliamentary democracy.

Earlier this month, a delegation of young parliamentarians from the Duma was in the capital to cement ties with their counterparts here in the 'Year of Russian in India' Delegation member Elena Afanasyeva had said that she was intrigued by the question hour system, where ministers had to reply directly, and would suggest something like that back home.