Proposing the People's Council to supervise the activities of central agencies in localities

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong chaired the meeting. (Photo: Doan Tan/VNA)

Continuing the 8th Session, on the morning of November 29, the National Assembly discussed the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Supervisory Activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils.

Delegates expressed their approval of the amendment and supplementation of a number of articles of the Law on Supervisory Activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils to overcome the limitations and difficulties of the current Law, while continuing to institutionalize the Party's viewpoints and policies, and concretizing the State's policies on innovation, improving the quality and effectiveness of supervisory activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels.

Increase accountability

Through practical supervision activities in localities, delegate Nguyen Thi Ngoc Xuan (Binh Duong) said that People's Councils in many places proposed that the National Assembly consider adding and expanding the subjects of supervision in Article 5 of the current Law.

Specifically, the People's Council has the right to supervise the activities of central agencies in the locality, and at the same time proposes to consider adding People's Council delegates with the right to question the heads of central agencies operating in the locality.

The delegate analyzed that Article 113 of the Constitution stipulates: The People's Council is a local state power agency, representing the will, aspirations and mastery of the people, elected by the local people, responsible to the local people and the higher-level state agency.

The People's Council decides on local issues as prescribed by law; supervises compliance with the Constitution and laws at the local level and the implementation of resolutions of the People's Council.

Clause 2, Article 5 of the Law on Supervisory Activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils clearly states that, when deemed necessary, the People's Council, the Standing Committee of the People's Council, and the People's Council's Committees shall supervise the activities of other agencies, organizations, and individuals in the locality.

Thus, the scope of supervision of the People's Council at the local level is very broad, covering all subjects and fields in the locality, including agencies, organizations and individuals in complying with the Constitution and laws, ensuring that the laws are implemented consistently and effectively.

The delegate emphasized that practice shows that competent agencies, units, individuals and other agencies and organizations in society must comply with the law and must implement solutions and measures for socio-economic development, national defense and security as decided by the People's Council.

In particular, the vertical agencies of the Central Government at the local level must carry out tasks such as tax collection, social insurance; measures to ensure national defense and security, and implement financial, economic, environmental and social policies issued by the People's Council.

In the current context of strong decentralization and delegation of power, the People's Council is given more authority in issuing policies, supporting facilities, wages, and allowances for social beneficiaries, defense and security forces; supporting budget allocations for social policy banks; funding for investment projects and supporting operations of central agencies at the local level.

"Officially regulate the People's Council's supervision of the activities of state agencies at the same level under the Central Government, located in the locality, to perfect the mechanism for controlling state power at the local level.

Thereby, helping the Central government to effectively manage the implementation of policies and laws at the local level, ensuring that the directions and goals assigned by the Central Government to the locality are effectively implemented.

With the control mechanism of the People's Council, state agencies, cadres, civil servants and public employees must be accountable and commit to action before the people's representative body," delegate Nguyen Thi Ngoc Xuan emphasized.

Therefore, the delegates recommended that the National Assembly consider adding the authority to supervise the activities of central agencies at the local level to the People's Councils at the same level and stipulate the right of People's Council delegates to question the heads of those agencies.

This content is consistent with the Constitution, law and practice, ensuring the control of the exercise of State power in the right direction.

Handling of supervised agency responsibilities

Concerned about the criteria for selecting groups of questions and criteria for selecting monitoring topics, delegate Duong Khac Mai (Dak Nong) suggested that it is necessary to consider and stipulate specific and clear selection criteria, closely following the practical situation of the country, locality, hot issues, current or long-standing unresolved issues that voters are particularly interested in.

Commenting on the principles of supervision activities, delegate Vu Thi Lien Huong (Quang Ngai) said that the draft Law supplementing the principle of ensuring the improvement of the effectiveness of State management in building and enforcing laws and deciding on important issues of the country and localities is appropriate.

Delegates also proposed to consider and supplement regulations on handling the responsibilities of agencies, organizations and individuals subject to supervision in implementing resolutions, conclusions, requests and recommendations of the supervision subject.

At the same time, specify the acts, nature, level of violations, order and procedures for implementation to ensure the legal basis for implementation, enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of supervision by elected bodies./.

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