Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Commonwealth (CSPOC)
- India is hosting the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi.
- It marks the highest participation from over 60 Commonwealth and semi-autonomous Parliaments.
- Focus Areas: Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and social media into legislatures, public engagement with parliaments, and the safety of Members.
- Significance: This is the fourth time India has hosted CSPOC, highlighting its leadership in Commonwealth parliamentary traditions.
About CSPOC
- It is an independent forum of Speakers and Presiding Officers, with no formal affiliation to the Commonwealth Secretariat or the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
- CSPOC was established in 1969 at the initiative of Lucien Lamoureux, then Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons. The permanent CSPOC secretariat is based in Canada.
- Objective: To foster impartial and independent presiding officers, promote parliamentary democracy, and strengthen parliamentary institutions across member nations.
- Membership: Open only to Speakers and Presiding Officers of national parliaments of sovereign Commonwealth states.
- Governance: A Standing Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the host country’s lower house, manages CSPOC’s affairs and agenda.
- Meeting: CSPOC convenes a full-membership conference every two years and an annual Standing Committee meeting in the intervening year.
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