Pakistan, Bangladesh To Stay Away As India Hosts 28th Commonwealth Speakers’ Conference

New Delhi: As India prepares to host the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi, Pakistan will remain absent from the high-level parliamentary gathering, with its Speaker not attending the event and the Pakistani flag not being displayed at the venue.

Bangladesh will also be unrepresented at the three-day conference, scheduled from January 14-16, owing to the absence of a parliamentary Speaker following the dissolution of its Parliament in August 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the prestigious Commonwealth parliamentary conference on January 15, marking India’s leadership role in strengthening democratic institutions across the Commonwealth. The event will bring together Speakers and Presiding Officers from over 60 Commonwealth countries and semi-autonomous legislatures.

Addressing the media ahead of the conference, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said proceedings would begin with a meeting of the CSPOC Executive Council on the opening day, followed by thematic sessions over the next two days.

According to Birla, the conference will deliberate on a range of contemporary issues affecting legislatures globally, including the use of Artificial Intelligence in parliamentary functioning, sharing of best practices and innovations, the impact of social media on parliamentarians, enhancing public understanding of Parliament, and the security, health and well-being of Members of Parliament.

Officials said the absence of Pakistan and Bangladesh does not impact the scale or significance of the conference, which is witnessing wide participation and is being seen as a milestone in India’s parliamentary diplomacy.

The hosting of the CSPOC is being described as a proud moment in India’s democratic journey, underscoring its commitment to dialogue, institutional cooperation and democratic values within the Commonwealth framework.

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