India

Om Birla elected Speaker of 18th Lok Sabha by voice vote

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate and MP from Kota, Om Birla has been elected as the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The motion moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was adopted by the house through a voice vote.

The house echoed with ‘Ayes’ and ‘Noes’ and the pro-tem speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab declared Om Birla as the Speaker of the lower house. The opposition which had filed K Suresh as the Speaker candidate of the INDIA bloc did not press fro a division vote.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also extended wishes to Birla and accompanied him to the chair along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and PM Modi.

After the INDIA bloc fielded K Suresh as its candidate, the appointment of Speaker became interesting as the election was held for the first time in decades.

Traditionally, the Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected through consensus between the ruling party and the Opposition.

The contest between BJP’s Om Birla, a three-time MP from Kota in Rajasthan, and Kodikunnil Suresh, an eight-term parliamentarian from Kerala’s Mavelikara came after the NDA refused to accept the opposition INDIA bloc’s demand that the Deputy Speaker’s position be left for the Opposition in exchange for its support to the NDA nominee.

The NDA, which commands 293 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha, was able to demonstrate its clear majority to ensure that Om Birla returns to the chair he held in the 17th Lok Sabha.

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on June 24 and will conclude on July 3. The 264th Session of Rajya Sabha will commence on June 27 and conclude on July 3. On June 27, President Murmu is scheduled to address a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament.

ANI

Ani service

Recent Posts

“Political witch hunt”: Trump on continuation of trial against Israeli PM Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (US local time) called the continuation of the trial…

12 hours ago

Serbia: Protests erupt in Belgrade over calls for snap elections

Protestors in Serbia took to the streets of Belgrade and demanded an early election, as…

12 hours ago

“Deserves contempt”: MEA rejects Pakistan Army’s claim over attack in Waziristan

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday strongly rejected the Pakistani Army's claims, where…

12 hours ago

Indian Army, Russian Land Forces bolster defence ties at IRIGC meet in St. Petersburg

Indian Army strengthens ties with Russian Land Forces at the 4th Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission (IRIGC)…

12 hours ago

Indian contingent demonstrates tactical proficiency, joint synergy in France in SHAKTI-VIII exercise

The Indo-French Joint Military Exercise SHAKTI-VIII continues to strengthen operational interoperability and mutual cooperation between…

1 day ago

PM Modi attends centenary celebrations of Acharya Shri 108 Vidyanand Ji Maharaj

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the centenary celebrations of the revered Jain spiritual leader Acharya…

1 day ago