PM Modi to inaugurate Commonwealth Speakers Conference: Birla
42 countries expected to participate
The Sunday Mail
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth on Thursday. This was announced by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who said that 42 of the 56 member countries are expected to participate in the conference. Pakistan and Bangladesh will not be participating. Birla told reporters here on Monday that this will be the highest participation in the history of the conference, with countries like Australia, Canada, and the United
Kingdom among those attending. Birla said there will be no representation from Bangladesh as the country’s parliament is suspended. Officials said that no representative from Pakistan is also expected. A total of 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers are expected to attend the event, which will be held at the Constitution Club here from January 14 to 16. The conference will discuss shared parliamentary values, democratic governance, and institutional cooperation. Birla said that all work related to the conference has been done online and no paper has been used. The Speaker said that an app has been developed to facilitate all aspects of coordination, logistics, and information dissemination for the conference.
The Lok Sabha Speaker will chair the meeting of the Standing Committee of CSPOC at the Red Fort here on Wednesday.
CSPOC was formed in 1969 on the initiative of Lucien Lamoureux, the then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada. Since its inception, Canada has provided CSPOC with a secretariat to support its activities.
The stated objectives of CSPOC are to uphold, promote, and encourage impartiality and fairness on the part of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliament, to promote knowledge and understanding of the various forms of parliamentary democracy, and to develop parliamentary institutions. The conference will feature workshop sessions on topics such as “AI in Parliament: Balancing Innovation, Oversight, and Adaptation,” “Social Media and its Impact on Parliamentarians,” “Innovative Strategies to Enhance Public Understanding of Parliament and Citizen Participation Beyond Voting,” and “The Safety, Health, and Well-being of Members of Parliament and Parliamentary Staff.”
Crackdown on E-cigarettes
Om Birla stated that the inquiry into the use of e-cigarettes in the Lok Sabha is nearing completion. Parliament is capable of taking strict action against those who violate parliamentary decorum. Maintaining the dignity of Parliament is crucial. BJP MP Anurag Thakur had sent a complaint to the Speaker, alleging that a Trinamool Congress (TMC) member was “openly” using an e-cigarette during House proceedings, despite a nationwide ban on such devices. “Nobody has the right to diminish the sanctity of the House,” the Lok Sabha Speaker told reporters here.
Birla said the matter is under investigation and will subsequently be referred to an appropriate committee of the House for further action.
“We will act on the committee’s recommendation. Everyone must maintain discipline in the House. A member could even lose their membership,” the Lok Sabha Speaker said.
“Nobody will be allowed to undermine the dignity of the House,” Birla added.
