New Delhi, Sep 23: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will address a joint session of both the Houses of Karnataka legislature on Friday, a statement said here today.

The Speaker is scheduled to address the members of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly in the Karnataka Assembly in Bengaluru at 1430 hours, the statement said.

The theme of Birla’s address will be ‘Democracy – Safeguarding democratic values’, a communique said here today.

It will be the first time that Speaker Birla will be addressing the joint session of the two Houses of a legislature, it added.

Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti, Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, state Ministers, MPs, MLCs, MLAs, and other dignitaries will be present on the occasion, the statement said. (UNI)