Lok Sabha Speaker Addresses the Inaugural Session of the 28th CSPOC
India is moving strongly towards the goal of becoming a developed nation: Birla 
The Sunday Mail
New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) at the historic Central Hall of the Parliament House here on Thursday. On this occasion, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla drew attention to the rapid technological changes impacting society and governance and said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media have enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of democratic institutions. He also said that their misuse has given rise to serious concerns such as misinformation, cybercrime, and social polarization, and it is the collective responsibility of legislatures to seriously address these challenges and find
appropriate solutions. He emphasized the growing importance of ethical Artificial Intelligence and reliable, transparent, and accountable social media frameworks to safeguard democratic values. He expressed confidence that this conference would witness in-depth deliberations on these important global issues and yield concrete, policy-oriented outcomes, enabling legislatures to utilize technology ideally and responsibly.
Highlighting India’s experience, Mr. Birla informed that the use of Artificial Intelligence and digital technologies is continuously increasing in the Indian Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies. He said that legislative institutions are progressively becoming paperless and are being connected through integrated digital platforms, setting new standards of transparency, efficiency, and accessibility. Speaking about India’s more than seven decades of parliamentary journey, the Hon’ble Speaker said that India has continuously strengthened its democratic institutions through people-centric policies, welfare laws, and a fair and robust electoral system. These efforts have ensured the participation of all citizens in the democratic process and deepened public trust in democracy.
Emphasizing the role of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Forum, the Speaker said that such forums have the unique ability to bring together presiding officers from different countries to deliberate on issues of global importance. He stated that collective wisdom and shared responsibility are essential to address the emerging challenges facing legislatures worldwide.
The Speaker welcomed the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), the Presiding Officers of the Parliaments of Commonwealth countries, Ministers of the Government of India, Presiding Officers of State Legislative Assemblies, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished delegates and guests attending the conference. He said that the presence of the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, at the inaugural ceremony was a matter of pride and honor for all participants. He noted that under the Prime Minister’s visionary leadership and comprehensive reforms, India has emerged as the world’s fastest-growing major economy. He also stated that India’s leadership is providing decisive solutions to global challenges, and today the world is looking to India for direction, stability, and inspiration.
Underlining the significance of the conference, the Speaker said that this event in the world’s largest democracy—often referred to as the mother of democracy—symbolizes a shared commitment to strengthening democratic dialogue, cooperation, and shared values. He said that the CSPOC platform provides a unique opportunity to share best practices, new initiatives, and experiences to strengthen parliamentary democracy in the Commonwealth.
Referring to the conference agenda, Mr. Birla stated that this conference, organized by the Parliament of India, where Commonwealth Presiding Officers and parliamentary leaders have gathered to deliberate on contemporary challenges and best practices in parliamentary democracy, will discuss the principles of impartiality and fairness of Presiding Officers, as well as enhancing public trust and credibility in parliaments. He said that maintaining the dignity, credibility, and prestige of parliamentary institutions in the eyes of the public should be the highest priority for all democracies. The Speaker expressed hope that the discussions and deliberations at the conference would help in moving towards collective solutions to the challenges facing legislatures, and that this exchange of ideas would contribute to improving parliamentary processes, increasing public participation in parliamentary work, and strengthening citizens’ trust in democratic institutions. Mr. Birla concluded his address by expressing his heartfelt gratitude to all the delegates for their enthusiastic participation in the conference and expressed confidence that the outcomes of the 28th CSPOC would make a significant contribution to strengthening parliamentary democracy in the Commonwealth.
The CSPOC comprises Speakers and Presiding Officers of the national parliaments of the 53 sovereign countries of the Commonwealth. Other delegates include Presiding Officers of 14 semi-autonomous parliaments, the Secretary-General of the CPA, and accompanying officials. A total of 61 Presiding Officers—including 45 Speakers and 16 Deputy Speakers—from 42 CSPOC member countries and 4 semi-autonomous parliaments are participating in the 28th CSPOC.
