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PM Inaugurates 28th CSPOC Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers in New Delhi
The Prime Minister inaugurates the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi. The event is in news due to the 28th CSPOC being held in India and the Prime Minister highlighting India’s commitment to sharing open-source tech platforms with the Global South.
CSPOC and the Commonwealth:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Composition | Speakers and Presiding Officers of the national parliaments of the independent sovereign states of the Commonwealth. |
| Establishment | Created in 1969 as an initiative of Lucien Lamoureux (then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada). |
| Secretariat support | Since inception, Canada provides CSPOC with a secretariat to support its activities. |
| Status and affiliation | Operates as an independent group; has no formal affiliation with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Commonwealth Secretariat, or the Commonwealth Heads of Government. |
| Cycle and meetings | Two-year cycle; holds a conference of full membership every two years (usually early January) and a Standing Committee meeting in the intervening year (at the same time). |
| Purposes | Provides for maintaining, fostering, and encouraging impartiality and fairness by Speakers/Presiding Officers; promoting knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy in various forms; developing parliamentary institutions. |
| Nature | Voluntary association of 56 independent countries; almost all were formerly under British rule. |
| Legal framework | Has no formal constitution or bylaws; members have no legal or formal obligation to one another. |
| Working method | Commonwealth action is based upon consultation between members, conducted through correspondence and conversations in meetings. |
| Values document | Commonwealth Charter, adopted in December 2012. |
| Commitments | Expresses commitment to development of free and democratic societies, good governance, human rights, rule of law, sustainable development, and promotion of peace and prosperity. |
| Administrative body and HQ | Work administered by the Commonwealth Secretariat based in London. |
| Latest entrants | Gabon and Togo in 2022. |
| India in the Commonwealth | Largest member state, with nearly 60% of the total population of the association. |