Sunday, September 11 2005 18:29 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The election of West Bengal Assembly Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim as Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Chairman has established India's position as a leading country in the organisation, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said today (Sept 11, 2005).

"This thrusts a news responsibility on India," Chatterjee told reporters at the International Airport here on his return from CPA conference in Fiji.

He said India's views were appreciated at the conference and countries from every region realised the importance of New Delhi.

At the CPA conference at Nadi in Fiji, India registered a major victory on September 9 when its candidate Halim was elected CPA Chairman polling over 72 per cent votes.

Halim defeated his lone rival Geoffrey Henry of Cook Islands getting 188 votes against the latter's 73. Of the total 310 votes in the CPA, 261 votes were cast.

Halim, one of the longest-serving Speakers in the world holding the position in West Bengal Assembly since 1982, has been elected for a three-year term.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who led Halim's global campaign for the past six months, was elected CPA Vice President while Amino Bello Masari of Nigeria was elected as the President at the Conference of the organisation.

India would host 53rd CPA Conference in 2007.