Cape Town: The Indian Parliamentary Delegation actively participated in the second-day deliberations of the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), being held in Cape Town from September 12 to 19.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh attended a session on promoting inter-parliamentary dialogue for inclusive and fair trade in diverse economies, with discussions focusing on inequality and underdevelopment across the Commonwealth.
Harivansh also held bilateral talks with Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, chairperson of South Africa’s National Council of Provinces, on matters of mutual parliamentary interest and ways to strengthen parliamentary ties between the two countries.
Indian delegates lead sessions
Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan chaired a Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians session on intergenerational equality and the future of parliamentary democracy.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta chaired a joint workshop involving Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, CPA Small Branches and Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities. The session focused on delivering inclusivity measures in parliaments facing capacity constraints.
Lok Sabha MP D. Purandeswari participated as a panellist in a session on gender mainstreaming in parliamentary procedures, practices and policies.
Focus on trade and inclusion
Punjab Assembly Speaker Kulthar Singh Sandhwan highlighted India’s experience with digital payments and efforts to improve access to credit and institutional support for farmers and producers.
Lok Sabha MP Krishna Prasad Tenneti reiterated India’s support for an open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system and proposed a two-tier binding dispute settlement mechanism under the World Trade Organisation.
Rajya Sabha MP C. Sadanandan Master and Kerala Assembly Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan contributed to discussions on making parliaments more accessible to persons with disabilities.
Maharashtra MLA Namita Mundada highlighted the establishment of creche facilities at the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly as an example of creating inclusive and family-friendly parliamentary workplaces.
The participation of the Indian delegation reaffirmed the country’s emphasis on parliamentary engagement, inclusive governance and sharing legislative experiences among Commonwealth nations.
