New Delhi [India], January 15 : Noting that India's leadership is offering decisive solutions to global challenges and that the world today looks towards India for direction, stability and inspiration, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Thursday that maintaining the dignity, credibility and prestige of parliamentary institutions in the eyes of the people must remain a paramount priority for all democracies.
The Speaker made the remarks in his welcome address at 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth in the iconic Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.
Birla drew attention to the rapid technological transformations reshaping societies and governance, and observed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media have enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of democratic institutions.
However, he cautioned that their misuse has also given rise to serious concerns such as misinformation, cybercrime and social polarisation.
The Speaker asserted that it is a collective responsibility of legislatures to engage seriously with these challenges and evolve appropriate solutions. He underscored the growing importance of ethical AI and credible, transparent and accountable social media frameworks in safeguarding democratic values. Expressing confidence, he noted that the Conference would facilitate in-depth deliberations on these critical global issues and lead to concrete policy-oriented outcomes, enabling legislatures to harness technology in an ideal and responsible manner.
Highlighting India's experience, Shri Birla shared that the use of AI and digital technologies is steadily increasing in the Parliament of India and State Legislatures. He noted that legislative institutions are being progressively made paperless and integrated through a unified digital platform, setting new benchmarks in transparency, efficiency and accessibility.
Birla observed that through the collective efforts of Parliament and Government, India has repealed several obsolete and unnecessary laws, enacted new welfare-oriented legislations and framed policies aligned with the aspirations of the people, noting that these initiatives have accelerated India's progress towards the goal of becoming a developed and self-reliant nation.
Reflecting on India's parliamentary journey of over seven decades, the Hon'ble Speaker underlined that India has consistently strengthened its democratic institutions through people-centric policies, welfare-oriented legislation and an impartial and robust electoral system. These efforts, he noted, have ensured inclusive participation of citizens in the democratic process and have deepened public faith in democracy.
Emphasising the role of Commonwealth parliamentary forums, the Hon'ble Speaker stated that such platforms possess the unique capacity to bring together Presiding Officers from diverse democracies to deliberate on issues of global importance. He stressed that collective wisdom and shared responsibility are essential for addressing the evolving challenges confronting legislatures worldwide.
Extending a warm and heartfelt welcome, the Speaker greeted the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Presiding Officers of Parliaments of Commonwealth countries, Ministers of the Government of India, Presiding Officers of State Legislatures, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished delegates and guests attending the Conference.
He noted that the presence of PM Modi at the inaugural ceremony was a matter of great pride and honour for all participants. He observed that under the Prime Minister's visionary leadership and far-reaching reforms, India has emerged as the world's fastest-growing major economy. " India's leadership is offering decisive solutions to global challenges, and that the world today looks towards India for direction, stability and inspiration," he said.
Highlighting the significance of the Conference, the Speaker stated that the gathering in the world's largest democracy--often described as the 'Mother of Democracy' - symbolises a shared commitment to strengthening democratic dialogue, cooperation and common values. He emphasized that the CSPOC platform provides a unique opportunity to exchange best practices, innovative ideas and experiences aimed at reinforcing parliamentary democracy across the Commonwealth.
Highlighting the agenda of the Conference, Shri Birla mentioned that the Conference, being hosted by the Parliament of India and bringing together Presiding Officers and parliamentary leaders from across the Commonwealth to deliberate on contemporary challenges and best practices in parliamentary democracy, would deliberate on the principles of impartiality and fairness of Presiding Officers, as well as on enhancing public trust and credibility of Parliaments.
"Maintaining the dignity, credibility and prestige of parliamentary institutions in the eyes of the people must remain a paramount priority for all democracies," he said.
Expressing optimism, he said that the discussions and deliberations at the Conference would contribute meaningfully towards identifying collective solutions to the challenges faced by legislatures. He noted that the exchange of ideas would help further improve parliamentary procedures, deepen public participation in parliamentary processes and strengthen citizens' trust in democratic institutions.
Birla expressed sincere gratitude to all delegates for their enthusiastic participation in the Conference and conveyed confidence that the outcomes of the 28th CSPOC would significantly contribute to the strengthening of parliamentary democracy across the Commonwealth.
CSPOC has brought together Speakers and Presiding Officers of 53 national parliaments of sovereign states of the Commonwealth. A total of 61 Presiding Officers including 45 Speakers and 16 Deputy Speakers are attending the 28th CSPOC from 42 CSPOC member countries and 4 Semi-Autonomous Parliaments.