January 16, 2026 10:19 PM

Democratic institutions must be transparent, inclusive and accountable: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said democratic institutions can remain strong and relevant only when they are transparent, inclusive, responsive and accountable to the people, as the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) concluded in the national capital. Delivering the valedictory address at the three-day conference, Birla said transparency builds public trust through openness in decision-making, while inclusivity ensures that every voice - partic...

January 16, 2026 10:12 PM

Vice President Radhakrishnan hosts lunch for Commonwealth Presiding Officers

Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha C. P. Radhakrishnan on Friday hosted a lunch in honour of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Commonwealth countries at Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi, underscoring the shared responsibility of safeguarding democratic traditions through dialogue marked by decorum and dignity. The lunch was organised on the sidelines of the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), being held in India from January 14 to 16. Welcomi...

January 16, 2026 4:46 PM

Vice President Radhakrishnan meets UK House of Lords Speaker on sidelines of CSPOC

Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Friday held a cordial and substantive meeting with Lord McFall of Alcluith, the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords, at Parliament House in New Delhi. The interaction took place on the sidelines of the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), which India is hosting from January 14 to 16. Welcoming the Lord Speaker to the Rajya Sabha, the Vice President said his participation in the conference underlined the enduring fri...

January 15, 2026 9:55 PM

Human institutional knowledge key to accountable AI in Parliaments: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh

Emphasising the primacy of human judgment in the age of artificial intelligence, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Thursday said that institutional memory and contextual human knowledge must remain central to the development and use of AI in legislatures. Addressing a workshop on the adoption of artificial intelligence during the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi, Harivansh said that if AI is to be integrated into parliamentary fu...

January 15, 2026 2:17 PM

India has turned diversity into strength of its democracy: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament House Complex. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said India has turned its diversity into the strength of its democracy, countering early doubts about the survival of democratic governance in such a vast and diverse nation. He underlined that democratic institutions and processes in India have ...

January 14, 2026 11:30 AM

Prime Minister to inaugurate 28th CSPOC in New Delhi on Thursday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) on January 15 at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament House Complex, New Delhi. The Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the conference at 10:30 am and will also address the gathering on the occasion. The conference will be chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and will see participation from 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers representing 42 Com...

January 10, 2025 9:41 PM

India to host 28th CSPOC with focus on AI and social media: Lok Sabha Speaker

India will host the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments of Commonwealth Countries (CSPOC) in 2026, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced at the CSPOC Standing Committee Meeting in Guernsey. The event will focus on the use of artificial intelligence and social media in parliamentary processes. In his address, Birla highlighted India’s economic progress and technological advancements, including its growing role in sectors like agriculture, fintech, artificial intel...