Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the 21st Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Zone III Conference at Aizawl, Mizoram. The conference, which was held at the Mizoram Legislative Assembly Complex in Aizawl on September 27 and 28, 2024, was intended to deepen the democratic process in the country's Northeastern region.
The conference aims to foster collaboration and dialogue among the Northeastern state legislatures, focusing on addressing regional challenges through democratic means.
The CPA Zone III Conference was attended by the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is also the chairman of the Commonwealth India Region, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Chief Minister of Mizoram Lalduhoma. It was also attended by the Chairman of the CPA Zone III, Sharingain Longkumer, Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Mizoram Legislative Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama and Deputy Speaker Lalfamkima.
The CPA Zone --III Conference theme was “Democratic Sanctity, Transparency, Accountability, and Results from Democracy.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was established in 1911 to promote parliamentary democracy and good governance in Commonwealth countries. The Commonwealth is a group of independent countries that were once colonies of the United Kingdom.
The CPA regularly conducts programmes and activities to strengthen the functioning of parliaments in its member countries and facilitate dialogue at the national, regional, and pan-Commonwealth levels.
The CPA has a regional chapter in all its member countries, and in India, it is called the CPA India Region. The CPA India Region consists of all 31 states and Union Territories with a legislative assembly.
The CPA India Region has been divided into four Zones, which are as follows.