The Sri Lankan parliamentary delegation led by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne participated in the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), which was inaugurated on January 15 at the Central Hall of the Samvidhan Sadan, Parliament House Complex in New Delhi, under the patronage of Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
According to the Department of Communication of Parliament, the inaugural ceremony was attended by Dr. Tulia Ackson, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and Dr. Christopher Kalila, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), along with Speakers and Presiding Officers from 42 Commonwealth countries, marking the event as a major global parliamentary gathering. The ceremony also included a formal welcome for members of the CSPOC Standing Committee and visiting delegations, highlighting the importance of Commonwealth parliamentary cooperation.
The Sri Lankan delegation comprised Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Secretary-General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, and Kanchana Ruchitha Herath, Assistant Director (Administration) of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
During the conference, Dr. Wickramaratne participated in high-level engagements and thematic discussions on contemporary challenges faced by legislatures. He also delivered a presentation at a workshop titled “Social Media and its Impact on Parliamentarians,” sharing Sri Lanka’s parliamentary experience in managing digital influence, safeguarding institutional integrity, and balancing freedom of expression with responsible public discourse.
In addition, Dr. Wickramaratne held discussions with Shri Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha of India, reaffirming the strong Sri Lanka–India relationship based on shared democratic traditions and mutual respect. These discussions focused on strengthening Parliament-to-Parliament cooperation through institutional exchanges, friendship groups, legislative collaboration, and the modernisation of parliamentary processes using technology such as artificial intelligence, real-time multilingual translation, capacity-building programmes like PRIDE, and shared cultural linkages including Bodh Gaya.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Speaker also held bilateral meetings with several Commonwealth counterparts, including Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP, Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom; Francis Scarpaleggia, Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada; and Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia. These engagements enabled an exchange of views on parliamentary best practices, institutional reform, and democratic governance.
Following the conclusion of the conference, participating delegations took part in a post-conference tour that included cultural and heritage visits in Jaipur, offering an opportunity to experience India’s historical legacy and cultural traditions.
The 28th CSPOC concluded on January 16, 2026, with a special plenary session on the role of Speakers and Presiding Officers in maintaining strong democratic institutions, followed by the closing plenary and the formal handover of the CSPOC Chairmanship.
