Speaker must act as referee, if contestants began doubting, they could walk away, says Hooda

Panchkula, Nov 2 (UNI) Haryana Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on Monday, said elected representatives must be judged by whether they listen, respond and remain accountable, while Speakers must act as referees who command the trust of both sides of the House. Addressing a conference of serving and former legislators inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Hooda said public representatives and presiding officers had distinct responsibilities in making constitutional democracy work. "For a public representative, there are three tests: listening, responding and accountability," he said. These obligations applied to everyone from panchayat members and sarpanches to legislators…