Shillong, January 16, 2026: The Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Shri Thomas A. Sangma, attended the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), 2026, being hosted by the Parliament of India from January 14 to 16, 2026, in New Delhi.

The conference was also attended by the Secretary, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Shri Malthus S. Sangma, reflecting the Assembly’s active participation in global parliamentary dialogue and initiatives aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and modern legislative practices.

The high-level conference was inaugurated on Thursday at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. On his arrival, the Prime Minister was received by Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, External Affairs Minister Shri S. Jaishankar, and Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh Narayan Singh.

The 28th CSPOC, chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, has brought together 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers from 42 Commonwealth countries, along with representatives from four semi-autonomous parliaments, underscoring the scale and international significance of the event.

The conference is deliberating on a wide range of contemporary parliamentary issues, with key focus areas including the evolving role of Speakers and Presiding Officers, technological innovation in parliamentary functioning, and enhancing citizen engagement in democratic processes. Major themes include “AI in Parliament: Balancing Innovation, Oversight and Adaptation,” “Social Media and its Impact on Parliamentarians,” and innovative approaches to improve public understanding of Parliament and citizen participation beyond voting.

Earlier, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla chaired a Standing Committee meeting ahead of the formal commencement of the 28th CSPOC.

The previous, 27th edition of the CSPOC, was hosted by Uganda in January 2024, following which India assumed the responsibility of hosting the 2026 edition.