NewzVille Desh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 January, 2026 inaugurated the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in Parliament of India.
Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla; Union Ministers; Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh; Presiding Officers of Parliaments of the Commonwealth countries; Members of Parliament and other dignitaries also graced the occasion.
In his welcome address, Speaker Birla drew attention to the rapid technological transformations reshaping societies and governance, and observed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media have enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of democratic institutions.
However, he cautioned that their misuse has also given rise to serious concerns such as misinformation, cybercrime and social polarisation.
The Speaker asserted that it is a collective responsibility of legislatures to engage seriously with these challenges and evolve appropriate solutions.
He underscored the growing importance of ethical AI and credible, transparent and accountable social media frameworks in safeguarding democratic values.
Expressing confidence, he noted that the Conference would facilitate in-depth deliberations on these critical global issues and lead to concrete policy-oriented outcomes, enabling legislatures to harness technology in an ideal and responsible manner.
CSPOC brings together Speakers and Presiding Officers of 53 national parliaments of sovereign states of the Commonwealth.
Other delegates include Presiding Officers of 14 semi-autonomous parliaments, Secretary General of CPA, President of IPU, Secretaries-General and accompanying officials.
A total of 61 Presiding Officers including 45 Speakers and 16 Deputy Speakers are attending the 28th CSPOC from 42 CSPOC member countries and 4 Semi-Autonomous Parliaments.
The Conference will conclude with the Valedictory Address of Lok Sabha Speaker tomorrow.
