New Delhi : A high-level briefing meeting was held today under the chairmanship of Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla to review preparations for the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, which will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from September 13 to 19, 2026.
Addressing the meeting, Shri Birla placed special emphasis on the role of the Indian delegation during discussions at the Conference. He urged all members of the delegation to actively participate in the sessions and workshops. He emphasized that members should articulate their views effectively during discussions so that India’s national interests and viewpoints can be strongly presented and safeguarded on the global stage.
He specifically underscored that India’s active participation in such global fora further strengthens the scope of our parliamentary traditions and democratic values. Additionally, he instructed all members to strictly maintain punctuality and discipline in all meetings and negotiations during the conference, ensuring that the country’s delegation sets an exemplary standard.
The main conference theme has been set as: “Strengthening International Law and Parliamentary Democracy in a Changing World Order: Commonwealth Leadership,” under which deliberations will take place regarding the role of parliaments in the changing global landscape.
During the meeting, the agenda for six key Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) workshops for the Indian delegation was outlined. These workshops will cover critical subjects including promoting inter-parliamentary dialogue for inclusive and fair trade in diverse economies, accessible parliaments and inclusion for persons with disabilities, parliamentary leadership in promoting climate adaptation and resilience, artificial intelligence (AI) in parliaments (current applications, prospects, and implementation strategies), protecting human rights and promoting peace, and post-legislative scrutiny.
In addition to the main sessions, a Youth Roundtable focused on “Rebuilding Youth Trust and Participation in Democracy” and a CPA General Assembly debate will also be held. Furthermore, under the 10th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference, four special workshops based on the theme “Making Gender Sensitivity an Institutional Mandate: Ethics, accountability, and structural change” will serve as major highlights of the event.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Secretary-General, Lok Sabha Shri Utpal Kumar Singh and senior officials from the concerned ministries presented detailed briefings covering the framework, administrative aspects, and strategic themes of the conference, ensuring clarity for all participating members regarding their engagement.
The Presiding Officers who attended the Briefing Meeting included Shri Koyye Moshenu Raju, Chairman, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council; Shri Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Speaker, Assam Legislative Assembly; Shri Prem Kumar, Speaker, Bihar Legislative Assembly; Shri Vijender Gupta, Speaker, Delhi Legislative Assembly, and Shri Mohan Singh Bisht, Deputy Speaker, Delhi Legislative Assembly; Shri Rabindra Nath Mahato, Speaker, Jharkhand Legislative Assembly; Shri G. S. Patil, Speaker, Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and Shri Saleem Ahmed, Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council; Shri Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishshnan, Speaker, Kerala Legislative Assembly; Prof. Ram Shinde, Chairman, Maharashtra Legislative Council, and Adv. Rahul Narwekar, Speaker, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly; Shri Thomas A. Sangma, Speaker, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, and Shri Limison D. Sangma, Deputy Speaker, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly; Shri Lalbiakzama, Speaker, Mizoram Legislative Assembly; Smt. Surama Padhy, Speaker, Odisha Legislative Assembly, and Shri Bhabani Shankar Bhoi, Deputy Speaker, Odisha Legislative Assembly; S. Kultar Singh, Speaker, Punjab Legislative Assembly, and S. Jai Krishan Singh, Deputy Speaker, Punjab Legislative Assembly; Shri Mingma Norbu Sherpa, Speaker, Sikkim Legislative Assembly; Shri Gaddam Prasad Kumar, Speaker, Telangana Legislative Assembly, Shri Gutha Sukender Reddy, Chairman, Telangana Legislative Council, and Dr. Banda Prakash, Deputy Chairman, Telangana Legislative Council; Shri Ram Prasad Paul, Deputy Speaker, Tripura Legislative Assembly; Smt. Ritu Khanduri Bhushan, Speaker, Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly; Shri Satish Mahana, Speaker, Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, and Shri Kunwar Manvendra Singh, Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council; and Shri Rathindra Bose, Speaker, West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
