The 21st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference is being held in New Delhi from  October  28  to  November  4, 1975.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is an Association of Commonwealth Parliamentarians,  who irrespective of race, religion or culture, are united by community of interest, respect for the rule of law and the rights and freedoms of the individual citizen, and by pursuit of the positive ideals of parliamentary democracy. The Association aims to promote understanding and co-operation among Commonwealth Parliamentarians and also to promote the study of and respect for parliamentary institutions throughout the Commonwealth. These objectives are pursued by means of conferences, exchange of Parliamentary deletions  and  seminars.

The Association, founded in 1911 has evolved with the Commonwealth. Starting as the Empire  Parliamentary Association, it changed its name in 1948 to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.  It  is composed   of  Branches  formed  in  Legislatures in Commonwealth countries.

The Association has now over 90 Branches as its  Members in Legislatures of the Commonwealth countries. Every Branch is autonomous and its affairs are controlled by an  Executive  Committee  elected   annually  by  Members and  representatives  of  all main  parties  and  groups.  The  Members  of the  Legislature  in  which  a  Branch is formed  are entiltled to become  Members  of  that Branch. The Presiding Officers of  the Legislative  Chambers are  normally  the  Branch Presidents.

Prior to India's independence, the Central Legislative Assembly  was  a  Member of the Empire Parliamentary Association. It ceased to function as the India Branch after August 15, 1947. In 1949, India renewed her membership following the change  in the name and the constitution of the Association. Besides the India Branch which is the main Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary association at the Centre, there are at present nineteen State Branches i the States viz. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu &  Kashmir,  Karnataka. Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association holds tits plenary conference in a different   Commonwealth   country  each year. This is the second time that this conference is being held in  India,  the  first having  been held in 1957.

Dr. G. S. Dhillon, M.P., Speaker of Lok Sabha who is the President of Commonwealth Association is presiding over this conference.

India is proud to play host to this Conference. The Posts and Telegraphs Department of the Government of India has great pleasure in commemorating the occasion by issuing a  postage  stamp  on  October  28, 1975 to mark the inauguration of the Conference.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India