20th Conference of Speakers & Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth 5.1.2010

The Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) is about the association of the Speakers and Presiding Officers of the National Parliaments of the Independent sovereign States of the Commonwealth. It was created in 1969 by the then Speaker of the House of Commons ofCanada, the Honourable Luciden Lamoureux CSPOC unites Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth, irrespective of race, colour, religion or culture, by community of interest, respect for the rule of law and pursuit of the ideals of parliamentary democracy. Parliament of India had the opportunity to host the Conference twice earlier in 1971 and 1986.

The full Conference is held every two years. The aim of the Conference is to maintain, foster and encourage impartiality and fairness in discharging the responsibility of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments Development of parliamentary institutions and promotion of knowledge, understanding of parliamentary democracy in its various forms, are other aims of the Conference.