Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has said that democratic institutions can remain strong and relevant when they are transparent, inclusive, responsive and accountable to people. Mr Birla stated this during his valedictory address at the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth, CSPOC, which concluded in New Delhi yesterday.
He expressed deep appreciation for the active participation, enthusiasm and constructive spirit of all delegations, which made the Conference both meaningful and memorable. He observed that the discussions reflected the enduring relevance of CSPOC as aunique platform for collective reflection on making Parliaments more people-centric, accountable and effective.
Recalling the vision behind the establishment of CSPOC, 56 years ago, the Lok Sabha Speaker said that the Conference was conceived to ensure continuous dialogue among democratic legislatures of the Commonwealth and to explore new ways of enhancing parliamentary efficiency and responsiveness. He stated that the 28th CSPOC had carried this legacy forward with renewed vigour and substance.
This year, the conference was held under the chairmanship of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. In the valedictory session, he handed over the chairmanship of the 29th CSPOC to the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and wished him the best for the success of the next CSPOC in London. The three-day Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) concluded today in New Delhi with the renewed commitment to make democratic institutions more people-centric.
Later, Mr Birla also visited a high-tech multimedia exhibition – BHARAT ON THE MOVE, organised at the Parliament House Complex, showcasing India’s rich democratic heritage and its growth trajectory as the world’s fastest-growing major economy. The exhibition was organised to showcase India’s strides towards becoming a developed nation by 2047 to the foreign delegates who gathered at the Parliament of India to attend the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth.
Earlier in the day, chairing the Special Plenary Session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla observed that modern democracies face both unprecedented opportunities and complex, multi-dimensional challenges. He emphasised that the foremost duty of Presiding Officers is to continuously adapt democratic institutions to contemporary needs while remaining anchored in constitutional values.
He noted that the true relevance of parliaments lies in their ability to respond to citizens’ expectations and aspirations, ensuring that debates and deliberations lead to meaningful solutions to public concerns. Mr Birla remarked that consensus and dissent are both strengths of democracy but must be expressed within the framework of parliamentary propriety.
