Indian delegation led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman at 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, Cape Town

1
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh leads India's delegation at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town, 12-19 September 2026.
2
32 Presiding Officers and 18 Secretaries from State/UT legislatures, all CPA members, are also attending.
3
Harivansh addresses the General Assembly on 'New Leadership Opportunities for the Commonwealth: Parliamentary Action to Strengthen Democracy and International Law'.

●Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA): founded 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association, renamed 1948; HQ London; over 180 national, state and provincial legislatures.
●69th CPC: Cape Town, hosted by the Parliament of South Africa; 68th CPC: Bridgetown, Barbados, October 2025.
●CPA India Region: second-largest number of member branches after the Africa Region; chaired by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
●Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha: chosen by the House under Article 89; Harivansh first elected 8 August 2018.
●Commonwealth Secretariat: set up 1965 at Marlborough House, London; first Secretary-General Arnold Smith.
●CHOGM: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting; 2024 in Apia, Samoa (first in a Pacific SIDS); 2026 in St John's, Antigua and Barbuda.

Exam Relevance

upsc

GS Paper 2 > International Relations > Important International Institutions

Previously Asked (PYQs)

UPSC Prelims 2014

With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements: 1. The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009. 2. South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: 2 only

UPSC Prelims 2020

In which one of the following groups are all the four countries members of G20?

Answer: Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey

Expected Questions

★Statements on the CPA's origin, headquarters and India Region, or on the constitutional basis of the Deputy Chairman.

Key Terms

CPC

Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference — the CPA's annual gathering, whose General Assembly is its governing meeting.

CHOGM

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the Commonwealth's summit of leaders.

priority_highMust Remember

•CPA: 1911 (Empire Parliamentary Association), renamed 1948, HQ London.
•Commonwealth Secretariat: 1965, Marlborough House.
•Deputy Chairman RS: Article 89.

tips_and_updatesExam Tips

•CPA (parliaments) ≠ Commonwealth Secretariat (governments) ≠ CHOGM (leaders' summit) — three distinct bodies.

Question 1 of 2Score: 0/0

Factual

Consider the following statements: 1. The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is chosen by the members of the House under Article 89 of the Constitution. 2. The Commonwealth Secretariat was established in 1965, with a Canadian diplomat as its first Secretary-General. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Current Affairs Pulse

Indian delegation led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman at 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, Cape Town

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Exam Relevance

Previously Asked (PYQs)

Expected Questions

Key Terms

priority_highMust Remember

tips_and_updatesExam Tips

Practice Quiz

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