The Government of India(GoI) hosted the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), organized by the Parliament of India, from January 14 to 16, 2026 at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, part of the Parliament House Complex in New Delhi, Delhi.
- The conference was chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
- India hosted the conference for the fourth time, after earlier editions in 1970–71, 1986, and 2010.
Exam Hints:
- What? CSPOC 2026 held
- When? January 14 to 16, 2026
- Where? Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, , New Delhi
- Edition: 28th
- Chair: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
- Inaugurated by: PM Narendra Modi
- Organizer: Parliament of India
- CSPOC First Edition: 1969 (Held every two years)
- 29th CSPOC: London, UK, 2028
About Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC):
Overview: The CSPOC is a high-level parliamentary forum that brings together the Speakers and Presiding Officers of national and sub-national legislatures from Commonwealth countries.
Background: CSPOC, established in 1969, on the initiative of Lucien Lamoureux, the then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada.
Meeting Cycle: CSPOC follows a biennial cycle, convening a full-membership conference every two years.
Objectives: To promote parliamentary democracy and good governance by strengthening the independence and impartiality of Speakers and Presiding Officers and by sharing best practices on legislative procedures, decorum, technology use, ethics, privileges, and women’s participation.
Participants: It brings together Speakers and Presiding Officers of National Parliaments, Provincial or State Legislatures, and Territorial Assemblies from 53 Commonwealth countries and 14 semi-autonomous legislatures.
Highlights of CSPOC 2026:
Standing Committee Meeting: The CSPOC 2026 commenced on 14 January 2026 with a meeting of the CSPOC Standing Committee, which oversaw the organisation’s activities and comprised 15 members, with five members constituting the quorum.
- Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla chaired the Standing Committee meeting at the Sangeeti Conference Hall, Red Fort, New Delhi.
Inauguration of CSPOC 2026: On 15 January 2026, the conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- He also inaugurated the 9th Group of Twenty (G20) Parliamentary Speakers’ (P20) Summit, held on the sidelines of CSPOC 2026 in New Delhi.
Participation: The 2026 event witnessed the largest participation, with 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers from 42 Commonwealth Countries and representatives of 4 semi-autonomous parliaments.
- Special Invitees: Dr. Tulia Ackson, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and Dr. Christopher Kalila, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
- CSPOC Countries Not Represented: Barbados, Bermuda, Cyprus, New Zealand, Uganda, Saint (St) Vincent and Grenadines, Vanuatu, and Eswatini.
- Semi-Autonomous Parliaments not represented: British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Niue, and St. Helena.
Focus Areas: The conference addressed challenges and issues such as
- Artificial Intelligence (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
- Security, Health and Wellbeing of Members of Parliament and Parliamentary Staff
- The Role of Speakers and Presiding Officers in maintaining strong democratic institutions.
Other Events: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also chaired the Lightning Round, the Special Plenary, and the Closing Plenary, and delivered the keynote address during the Special Plenary on “The Role of Speakers and Presiding Officers in Maintaining Strong Democratic Institutions.”
Exhibition: As part of CSPOC 2026, the high-tech multimedia exhibition ‘Bharat on the Move’ was inaugurated, showcasing India’s democratic heritage, parliamentary processes, and development achievements, with a focus on technology, governance, and public engagement.
Chairmanship Handover: During the event, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla handed over the chairmanship of the 29th CSPOC to Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the United Kingdom (UK) House of Commons.
- The 29th CSPOC will be held in London (UK) in 2028.
About United Kingdom (UK):
Prime Minister (PM) – Keir Starmer
Capital – London
Currency – Pound Sterling (GBP)
