New Delhi, Jan 16: The 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) entered its third day on Friday, with delegates from 42 Commonwealth countries and four semi autonomous parliaments arriving at Parliament House to participate in deliberations on enhancing democratic institutions and modern parliamentary practices.
Chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the high level conference has brought together 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers from across the Commonwealth. The day’s sessions include discussions on innovative strategies to improve public understanding of parliamentary processes and strengthen citizen participation beyond voting, led by Manzoor Nadir, Speaker of the National Assembly of Guyana.
A keynote address on “Security, Health and Wellbeing of Members of Parliament and Parliamentary Staff” is being delivered by Francis Scarpaleggia, Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada. The day also marks the formal handover of CSPOC chairmanship, with Speaker Om Birla passing the baton to Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the UK House of Commons, who will host the 29th CSPOC.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the conference on Thursday at the Central Hall of the Samvidhan Sadan. During his address, PM Modi highlighted India’s ability to turn diversity into a cornerstone of democratic strength, noting that robust institutions and processes allow democracy to operate with stability, speed, and scale.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla called for a “collective responsibility” among Commonwealth nations to address challenges such as misinformation, cybercrime, and social division, particularly in the context of rapid technological transformation, including Artificial Intelligence (AI).
International dignitaries attending the conference praised India for hosting CSPOC. Jamaican High Commissioner Jason Keats Matthew Hall noted India’s significance as the world’s largest democracy, highlighting the conference as an opportunity to discuss contemporary democratic challenges, including responsible governance of AI. UK Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle described the gathering as “a family coming together to speak about the democratic world we represent,” while Malawi’s Speaker Sameer Gaffar Suleman called it a “great learning experience.”
The conference is deliberating on a wide array of contemporary parliamentary issues, including the evolving role of Speakers and Presiding Officers, leveraging technology for parliamentary efficiency, and enhancing citizen engagement in democratic processes.