Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said that the substantive discussions held during the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), which concluded in New Delhi, would reinforce ties among Commonwealth nations and contribute to improved governance. On the sidelines of the conference, Birla held bilateral meetings with Speakers and presiding officers from several Commonwealth countries. In his interaction with Julie LaShell Adderley, President of the Senate of The Bahamas, he discussed India’s landmark law providing 33 percent reservation for women in legislatures, noting that it reflects a shared global commitment to inclusive governance. He also welcomed the fact that both Houses of the Bahamian Parliament are currently headed by women.

Birla described his discussions with leaders from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Secretariat as productive, reaffirming a shared focus on transparency, parliamentary excellence and citizen-centric governance. He noted that the leaders praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in advancing South-South cooperation and stressed the need for a dedicated global platform to further this objective.

The Lok Sabha Speaker also met parliamentary leaders from Lesotho, Malaysia, Guyana, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Rwanda, Belize, Dominica, Mozambique, and St. Kitts and Nevis. These interactions focused on strengthening democratic institutions, enhancing parliamentary cooperation, promoting people-to-people ties, expanding trade and investment, leveraging technology in legislatures, and reinforcing India’s partnerships across the Global South.

Birla highlighted discussions on parliamentary innovation, gender equality, diaspora contributions, tourism, digital governance, and capacity-building through training initiatives such as India’s PRIDE institute. Several leaders expressed admiration for India’s democratic framework, inclusive practices, and technological advancements, including real-time multilingual translation in Parliament.

The 28th CSPOC, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, concluded with a renewed commitment to making democratic institutions more transparent, inclusive, responsive, and accountable. In his valedictory address, Birla said that these principles are essential for maintaining public trust and strengthening the bond between citizens and the State. He handed over the chairmanship of the next CSPOC to UK House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and noted that the record participation of countries at this edition marked a significant milestone in the history of Commonwealth parliamentary cooperation.

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