Om Birla to Inaugurate PAC Chairpersons Conference in Kerala
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the PAC Chairpersons Conference in Thiruvananthapuram to discuss audit, accountability, and good governance.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is set to inaugurate a high-profile two-day Conference of Chairpersons of Public Accounts Committees (PACs) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Scheduled for November 3, 2026, the event will gather PAC leaders from the Parliament as well as various State and Union Territory Legislatures to discuss the critical intersection of audit, accountability, and good governance.
A High-Profile Gathering of Legislative Leaders
The inaugural session on Tuesday will see a distinguished lineup of guests. Joining Speaker Om Birla will be the Chief Minister of Kerala, V D Satheesan, and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh. Adding to the local legislative representation, the Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, and the Chairperson of the Kerala Legislative Assembly's PAC, K. N. Balagopal, will also grace the occasion and address the gathering.
The proceedings will begin with a welcome address by K.C. Venugopal, the Parliamentary PAC Chairperson, and will conclude its opening phase with a vote of thanks proposed by Shanimol Usman, the Deputy Speaker of the Kerala Assembly.
The Core Mission: Audit, Accountability, and Governance
The conference is centered around the theme ‘Audit, Accountability and Good Governance: The Evolving Role of the PAC’. As the primary bodies responsible for scrutinizing public expenditure, Public Accounts Committees ensure that government funds are spent exactly as intended by the legislature. This conference serves as a vital platform for these committees to:
- Share practical experiences from different states and the center.
- Exchange best practices for effective financial oversight.
- Explore strategies to strengthen legislative scrutiny of public spending.
- Promote higher standards of transparency and financial discipline in governance.
Tackling Modern Financial Challenges
With the landscape of public financial management constantly shifting, the two-day event is expected to spark constructive dialogues on emerging challenges. Participants will delve into the evolving nature of audits and discuss how legislative scrutiny can be enhanced to meet the demands of modern governance and responsible spending.
Concluding the Deliberations
The conference will wrap up on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, with a formal Valedictory Session. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will once again address the assembly to summarize the findings and goals of the meeting. Other key speakers for the closing session include the Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly and the Chairperson of the Parliamentary PAC.
The final proceedings will be kicked off with a welcome address by the Deputy Speaker of the Kerala Assembly, while K. N. Balagopal, Chairperson of the Kerala Legislative Assembly's PAC, will deliver the final vote of thanks.