Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth: Role, Relevance and India’s Parliamentary Leadership

CSPOC is convened biennially, with a Standing Committee meeting in the intervening year to ensure continuity.

 

The Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) is the highest-level parliamentary forum of the Commonwealth of Nations, bringing together Speakers and Presiding Officers from 53 national parliaments of sovereign states and 14 semi-autonomous legislatures. It serves as a unique, non-political platform for dialogue among parliamentary leaders representing diverse constitutional systems, legal traditions and democratic practices.

Distinct in its character, CSPOC functions as an independent parliamentary body, with no formal affiliation to either the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) or the Commonwealth Secretariat, though its membership overlaps with Commonwealth parliamentary institutions and its deliberations complement the wider parliamentary ecosystem.

Institutional Design and Functioning

CSPOC is convened biennially, with a Standing Committee meeting in the intervening year to ensure continuity. The Standing Committee reviews institutional matters, finalises the agenda and oversees organisational decisions for the next Conference, enabling sustained engagement between member parliaments.

India has been a consistent and influential participant in CSPOC and has hosted the Conference on four occasions—1970–71, 1986, 2010 and 2026—reflecting its long-standing parliamentary engagement within the Commonwealth. The 29th CSPOC will be held in London in 2028.

Origins and Legal Framework

CSPOC was established in 1969 on the initiative of Lucien Lamoureux, then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada. The Conference emerged from the need for a dedicated, non-partisan forum exclusively for presiding officers, focused on parliamentary leadership, procedure and institutional neutrality.

It operates under Standing Rules adopted and periodically reviewed by the Conference. These rules govern membership, agenda-setting, conduct of proceedings, quorum, voting procedures and tenure of office bearers. Membership is restricted to Speakers and Presiding Officers of national parliaments of independent Commonwealth states, with provisions allowing continuity during parliamentary dissolutions.

Mandate and Contemporary Relevance

CSPOC’s core mandate reflects the constitutional responsibility of presiding officers to uphold impartiality, procedural fairness and institutional integrity. Its objectives include:

• Promoting understanding of parliamentary democracy in its diverse forms

• Encouraging neutrality and fairness among presiding officers

• Strengthening legislative institutions through structured exchange of experiences and best practices

While its outcomes are non-binding, CSPOC exercises significant normative influence across Commonwealth legislatures.

In recent years, CSPOC has adapted to emerging priorities such as digital transformation, application of artificial intelligence, public engagement, member wellbeing, and safeguarding institutional autonomy, ensuring its continued relevance in a rapidly changing democratic landscape.

Governance Structure

Between Conferences, CSPOC is governed by a Standing Committee of 15 members, chaired by the Speaker or Presiding Officer of the lower House of the next host Parliament. The Committee ensures regional balance, oversees agenda development, reviews Standing Rules and manages organisational arrangements. A quorum of five members is required for decision-making.

Since its inception, Canada has provided secretariat support, ensuring institutional continuity and stability.

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India and the 28th CSPOC (2026)

India hosted the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth in New Delhi from 14 to 16 January 2026, under the chairmanship of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The Conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Samvidhan Sadan, underscoring the national importance attached to parliamentary diplomacy.

The event brought together 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers from 42 Commonwealth countries and four semi-autonomous parliaments, making it one of the largest CSPOC gatherings to date.

Agenda Focus

The 28th CSPOC addressed key contemporary challenges facing legislatures, including:

• Use of Artificial Intelligence and digital tools in parliamentary functioning

• Impact of social media on parliamentary discourse and institutional authority

• Enhancing public understanding of Parliament

• Security, health and wellbeing of Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff

India emphasised that while AI and social media enhance efficiency and outreach, they also pose challenges such as misinformation, cybercrime and social polarisation, calling for ethical, transparent and accountable frameworks.

India’s Parliamentary Perspective

India highlighted its experience in:

• Repealing obsolete laws and enacting welfare-oriented legislation

• Strengthening Parliamentary Standing Committees as “mini-Parliaments” for budgetary and legislative scrutiny

• Advancing women’s leadership, noting that nearly 1.5 million women representatives constitute about 50 per cent of elected leaders in local bodies, an achievement unmatched globally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that India’s democracy delivers “stability, speed and scale”, with a strong emphasis on last-mile delivery. He noted that 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty in recent years and affirmed that “in India, democracy delivers.”

India and the Global South

India positioned itself as a credible, norm-contributing parliamentary democracy, capable of bridging tradition with institutional transformation. It reaffirmed its role as a voice of the Global South, highlighting its global contributions in vaccines, medicines, food security, infrastructure and connectivity.

Within the CSPOC framework, India’s experience reinforces its role as a partner in strengthening legislatures across the Commonwealth and beyond.

At the valedictory session on 16 January 2026, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla formally handed over the chairmanship of the 29th CSPOC to Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the UK House of Commons, extending best wishes for the next Conference in London.

CSPOC remains a vital, non-political forum for strengthening parliamentary democracy across the Commonwealth. By enabling presiding officers to uphold impartiality, procedural fairness and institutional credibility, it fosters collective parliamentary leadership. India’s hosting of the 28th CSPOC reaffirmed its parliamentary heritage, democratic values and forward-looking approach to technology, public engagement and institutional resilience.