The agenda of the Virtual Session inter-alia includes the election of the new President of IPU through remote electronic secret ballot since the outgoing President of IPU H.E. Ms. Gabriela Cuevas Barron (MP, Mexico) had completed her term on 19 October 2020. The term of the new President of IPU will be from 2020-23.
An Indian Parliamentary Delegation led by Om Birla, Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha and consisting of Smt. Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Swapan Dasgupta, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha will participate in the above mentioned Virtual Session and will cast their votes. Secretary General, Lok Sabha Smt. Snehlata vastava and Secretary General, Rajya Sabha Desh Deepak Verma will also attend the Virtual Session. Dr. Ajay Kumar, Joint Secretary, Lok Sabha Secretariat is the Secretary to the Delegation.
There are four candidates in the fray for the election of IPU President viz. Mr. Duarte Pacheco from Portugal, Mr. Muhammad Sanjrani from Pakistan, Mr. Akmal Saidov from Uzbekistan and Ms. Salma Ataullahjan from Canada.
Prior to the scheduled Virtual Session of the Governing Council, a Virtual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Geopolitical Group (APG) of IPU, consisting of 36 nations, was organized on 30 October 2020 by the President of Senate of Philippines, the current Chair of APG. Swapan Dasgupta, Member of Parliament and Secretary General, Lok Sabha Smt. Snehlata vastava attended the meeting.
The Governing Council is the main policy-making body of the IPU which is inter-alia mandated to elect the new President of IPU. Each member Parliament of IPU is represented by three parliamentarians in the Governing Council and accordingly has three votes, provided the Delegation has both men and women.
By Shailendra Mishra