Developing Digital parliaments strengthens democracy and gives the common man access to the process of establishing laws. Continue reading to learn more about the ways in which the digitalization of parliament can benefit citizens.

Have you heard of completely digital parliaments? Do you think parliaments need to be more open to the public and increase public participation in the legislative process?

Governments can engage with the public and create an environment where there is participation at all stages of the law-making process through end-to-end digitalization of all Lawmaking bodies. The digitalization of Parliaments will allow the public to interact with their representatives instantly and have their concerns addressed without delay.

The National e-Governance Plan by the Government of India states its aim to be: “Make all Government services accessible to the common man in his locality, through common service delivery outlets, and ensure efficiency, transparency, and reliability of such services at affordable costs to realize the basic needs of the common man”.

Digitalizing the Lawmaking Bodies aligns with this principle and aims to usher in an era of strong democracy with increased participation of the common man in the lawmaking process.

In this article, we will introduce the need for digitization of lawmaking bodies, what advantages it can provide to the public, and how it will enhance the public’s participation in lawmaking.

Engagement of citizens in the current lawmaking process

We are living in the age of information. In ways that were never imagined before, social media and other collaborative technologies are connecting people and governments. In the past, public communications with government authorities could only be made through letters. However, with the advent of digital communication, more access to information is available for everyone and easy communication with legal authorities is possible. Everyone can gain access to information on the internet today and create and disseminate content to educate others about the latest political developments. This kind of information used to be privileged, and journalists were the only ones who had access to it. Today, thanks to technology, even the common man can learn what is happening within the legislative bodies.

However, the process of public participation in lawmaking process is still in its nascent stages. People living in remote areas with poor internet connectivity are unaware of digital tools and do not take advantage of these emerging platforms. Even to the educated public, the participation in lawmaking process is currently limited. An efficient lawmaking process that involves citizen engagement is one where the common man can raise questions in the parliamentary sessions, voice their concerns, and track the progress of their queries. The public should have information about the various laws that are passed in the parliaments and the public works that are sanctioned in their constituency.

Through the use of ICT in the lawmaking process, it is possible to strengthen democracy and bring government closer to the people. ICT enables real-time connectivity between the public and lawmaking bodies.

Parliaments that are both fully digitalized and efficient are in growing demand to increase public participation in democracy and simultaneously enhance efficiency. In order to fulfill this need, SBL has developed a copyrighted eParliament solution that provides a comprehensive solution for every lawmaking body. Rest of this discussion focuses on the advantages and values of this revolutionary platform for the common man.

How does SBL’s eParliament benefit the public? 

SBL’s eParliament can play a significant role in promoting and enhancing democracy by offering seamless connectivity between the public and the lawmaking bodies. It is an end-to-end digital solution that completely eliminates paper from the functioning of lawmaking bodies and establishes a process that is entirely based on digital technology.
Our solution has comprehensive and well-defined modules that promote information flow among all the stakeholders. Using the eParliament solution the lawmakers can sign in to the sessions from anywhere and participate in the discussions. Not only this, the public can also view the proceedings in real-time and raise concerns wherever they feel necessary.

Using our eParliament platform, the lawmakers can engage in debates on various issues, cast their votes, and enact laws for the benefit of the public. This system establishes a method for allocating the resources transparently for the benefit of the public and ensures that the allotted resources are utilized according to the plan. The platform acts as a forum where citizens and the parliamentarians can connect and discuss public policy. This promotes consensus on various public issues through improved interactions and information sharing.

By connecting the various stakeholders in real-time, the eParliament solution facilitates efficient delivery of public service and also allows people to access them easily. Citizens have updated information about the progress of various public works in their constituencies and can immediately bring deviations to the notice of the authorities. The process enhances social inclusion and also results in cost-savings.

Digitally transforming lawmaking bodies using eParliamentsolutions makes them more accessible to everyone. We have successfully implemented eVidhaan into the HP Legislative Assembly, which allowed the HP government to gain many measurable advantages and enhance public satisfaction.

We are involved in continuous research and develop digital solutions for parliaments that are based on real-time knowledge about the functioning of parliaments.

Contact the eParliament division at SBL to know more.