Clearly define the supervisory authority of the National Assembly and People's Councils

Photo caption — Chairman of the National Assembly 's People's Aspirations Committee Duong Thanh Binh presented a report explaining, accepting and giving comments on the draft Law on Supervisory Activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils (amended). Photo: Phuong Hoa/VNA

In a summary report on the explanation, reception and revision of the draft Law, National Assembly Standing Committee member Duong Thanh Binh said that this Law stipulates the supervisory activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils; principles of supervisory activities; rights and responsibilities of supervisory subjects, agencies, organizations and individuals subject to supervision and other agencies, organizations and individuals related to supervisory activities; and conditions to ensure supervisory activities.

According to Mr. Duong Thanh Binh, there are many opinions suggesting studying and expanding the scope of the draft Law to comprehensively amend and supplement the current Law on Supervision, thoroughly overcoming difficulties and shortcomings caused by legal provisions, perfecting the legal basis, and improving the effectiveness of supervision activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils.

In response to comments, the National Assembly Standing Committee directed a thorough review, revision, and completion of the draft Law to ensure consistency with new provisions of the Constitution and laws on state organization and apparatus passed by the National Assembly at the 9th Session. The draft Law only stipulates major, principled, and stable contents within the National Assembly's regulatory authority; omitting specific provisions on the order and procedures for conducting supervisory activities... and assigning the National Assembly Standing Committee to stipulate details.

The Draft Law is structured into 5 chapters and 45 articles, 46 articles less than the current Law on Supervision, of which 55 articles have been removed, 36 articles have been inherited and amended, and 9 new articles have been added.

Regarding the supervisory authority of the National Assembly and People's Councils, according to Mr. Duong Thanh Binh, Article 4 of the current Law on Supervision has a general provision on the authority of the subjects without clearly defining the subjects subject to supervision and the scope of supervision, leading to many shortcomings and duplication in implementation, reducing the effectiveness of supervision.

“To overcome this limitation, and at the same time implement the policy of strengthening decentralization and delegation of power, and absorb the opinions of National Assembly deputies, the draft Law has been revised in the direction of removing general provisions, and at the same time clearly defining the authority of each supervisory entity in the draft Law,” Mr. Duong Thanh Binh emphasized.

Discussing at the meeting, delegate Ta Dinh Thi (Hanoi) said that it is necessary to consider the application of digital technology as a key task and have a clear roadmap. Building a national database in monitoring activities, connecting from the central and local levels is very necessary. This database integrates information from reports, monitoring conclusions, questions, voters' recommendations, inspection and audit results. On the other hand, there should be more specific regulations on digitizing the entire monitoring process from planning, information collection, surveying, working with relevant agencies to consulting experts, synthesizing reports and publicizing results. From there, the application of technology will help monitoring activities be transparent, fast, and reduce costs.

Regarding the draft regulations on financial resources to ensure monitoring activities, according to delegate Ta Dinh Thi, it is necessary to clarify the budget allocation mechanism, specifically flexibility in monitoring activities, ad hoc monitoring, thematic monitoring... especially at grassroots People's Councils.

Regarding the supervisory authority, delegate Mai Van Hai ( Thanh Hoa ) suggested that it is necessary to review the regulations on the supervisory authority of the National Assembly Standing Committee over the resolutions of the provincial People's Council. This issue should assign authority and responsibility to the Standing Committee of the People's Council, the People's Council committees and the People's Council delegates at the local level. The National Assembly Standing Committee should only assist the National Assembly in exercising its supreme supervisory authority and supervising compliance with the Constitution, laws, resolutions of the National Assembly and resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee.

According to delegate Mai Van Hai, point c, clause 1, Article 23 stipulates the supervisory activities of the provincial National Assembly delegation, including the supervision of the settlement and response to voters' petitions under the authority of central agencies as assigned by the National Assembly Standing Committee. If implemented according to this regulation, it will be very good for the settlement of voters' petitions, while at the same time enhancing the responsibility of central agencies.

“However, to implement it is a very difficult issue,” the delegate expressed his opinion and suggested that this content should be unified and assigned to the National Assembly’s People’s Petition Committee to supervise the settlement of voters’ petitions to central agencies. As for the local National Assembly delegation, there should be regulations to supervise the settlement of voters’ petitions to local competent agencies.

The Thanh Hoa delegation also said that, through the practice of independent supervision activities of National Assembly deputies, the form of questioning is the most effective activity. Other contents in independent supervision activities are still very limited, even difficult to organize and implement, such as supervision of legal documents, supervision of law enforcement at the local level or supervision of handling of complaints, denunciations and petitions of citizens. Therefore, it is necessary to review and re-regulate the authority and supervision activities of National Assembly deputies, focusing on questioning and supervision through the activities of National Assembly delegations.

Discussing at the meeting hall, some delegates also suggested adding a post-monitoring control mechanism, regulating the responsibility of the leader in implementing the monitoring results...

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/phan-dinh-ro-tham-quyen-giam-sat-cua-quoc-hoi-va-hoi-dong-nhan-dan-20251024125627390.htm