New Delhi [India], President Droupadi Murmu has appointed BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as acting Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sudip Bandyopadhyay were appointed to assist Speaker Protem in taking oath of the newly elected members.
"The President is pleased to appoint Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Member of the Lok Sabha, as Provisional Speaker under Article 95(1) of the Constitution to discharge the functions of Speaker until his election," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren said. Rijiju, in a post on X. .
“The President is also pleased to appoint Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sudip Bandyopadhyay, members of the Lok Sabha under Article 99 of the Constitution, to assist President Protem in the oath/affirmation to the newly elected members of the 18th Lok. Sabha until the election of the President," he added.
The Congress objected to the government's decision, saying the longest-serving MP is appointed as the acting president as per convention and party MP Kodikunnil Suresh should have been given that role as he enters his eighth term as an MP.
"By convention, the MP who has served the maximum terms is appointed Speaker Protem for the first two days when the oath is administered to all newly elected MPs. The senior MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha are Kodikunnil Suresh ( INC) and Virendra Kumar (BJP), who are now serving their eighth term. The latter is now a Union Minister and Kodikunnil Suresh was therefore expected to be the Protem Speaker instead, a seven-term MP. , Bhartruhari Mahtab, has been appointed Protem Speaker. “He was a BJP MP for six terms and is now a BJP MP,” Ramesh said in a post on X.
Other Congress leaders also objected to the decision. Party leader KC Venugopal said the government should explain why it overlooked K Suresh.
“In yet another attempt to destroy parliamentary norms, Mr. Bhartruhari Mahtab (MP for seven terms) has been appointed as interim president, replacing Sh. @kodikunnilMP, who will enter his eighth term. It is an unquestionable rule that the most senior MP presides over the proceedings of the House before the Speaker is duly elected. It is a matter of immense pride for our party that K Suresh, a leader from the marginalized section of the society, has achieved this feat of serving eight terms. deputy," he said.
"The government should explain why it decided to ignore K Suresh, what was the factor that disqualified him from this position? Are there deeper issues influencing this decision, perhaps beyond merit and seniority?" he asked in a post on X.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore reacted to Rijiju's post and said the decision was a mistake on the part of the government.
"First mistake as Parliamentary Affairs Minister: Seven-term BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab is elected Lok Sabha Pro Tem Speaker instead of Congress' senior-most Dalit MP Kodikkunnil Suresh. What are the minister's intentions?" he asked in a post on X.
As per Article 94 of the Constitution, the post of Speaker falls vacant immediately before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha. In that case, the functions of Speaker will be performed by a Member of the House designated for this purpose by the President as Acting Speaker.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on June 24. The Rajya Sabha session will begin on June 27.
Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sudip Bandyopadhyay were appointed to assist Speaker Protem in taking oath of the newly elected members.
"The President is pleased to appoint Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Member of the Lok Sabha, as Provisional Speaker under Article 95(1) of the Constitution to discharge the functions of Speaker until his election," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren said. Rijiju, in a post on X. .
“The President is also pleased to appoint Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sudip Bandyopadhyay, members of the Lok Sabha under Article 99 of the Constitution, to assist President Protem in the oath/affirmation to the newly elected members of the 18th Lok. Sabha until the election of the President," he added.
The Congress objected to the government's decision, saying the longest-serving MP is appointed as the acting president as per convention and party MP Kodikunnil Suresh should have been given that role as he enters his eighth term as an MP.
"By convention, the MP who has served the maximum terms is appointed Speaker Protem for the first two days when the oath is administered to all newly elected MPs. The senior MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha are Kodikunnil Suresh ( INC) and Virendra Kumar (BJP), who are now serving their eighth term. The latter is now a Union Minister and Kodikunnil Suresh was therefore expected to be the Protem Speaker instead, a seven-term MP. , Bhartruhari Mahtab, has been appointed Protem Speaker. “He was a BJP MP for six terms and is now a BJP MP,” Ramesh said in a post on X.
Other Congress leaders also objected to the decision. Party leader KC Venugopal said the government should explain why it overlooked K Suresh.
“In yet another attempt to destroy parliamentary norms, Mr. Bhartruhari Mahtab (MP for seven terms) has been appointed as interim president, replacing Sh. @kodikunnilMP, who will enter his eighth term. It is an unquestionable rule that the most senior MP presides over the proceedings of the House before the Speaker is duly elected. It is a matter of immense pride for our party that K Suresh, a leader from the marginalized section of the society, has achieved this feat of serving eight terms. deputy," he said.
"The government should explain why it decided to ignore K Suresh, what was the factor that disqualified him from this position? Are there deeper issues influencing this decision, perhaps beyond merit and seniority?" he asked in a post on X.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore reacted to Rijiju's post and said the decision was a mistake on the part of the government.
"First mistake as Parliamentary Affairs Minister: Seven-term BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab is elected Lok Sabha Pro Tem Speaker instead of Congress' senior-most Dalit MP Kodikkunnil Suresh. What are the minister's intentions?" he asked in a post on X.
As per Article 94 of the Constitution, the post of Speaker falls vacant immediately before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha. In that case, the functions of Speaker will be performed by a Member of the House designated for this purpose by the President as Acting Speaker.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on June 24. The Rajya Sabha session will begin on June 27.
