Bhartruhari Mahtab Appointed As Pro-tem Speaker of Lok Sabha

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that the President has appointed Bhartruhari Mahtab as the Pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha under Article 95(1) of the Constitution. Mahtab will serve in this role until a new Speaker is elected.

New Delhi:Seven-term parliamentarian Bhartruhari Mahtab was on Thursday appointed pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said.

He said Mahtab, a BJP member from Cuttack, was appointed as pro-tem Speaker by President Droupadi Murmu under Article 95(1) of the Constitution to perform the duties of the Lok Sabha presiding officer till the election of the Speaker.

The newly elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha will make oath or affirmation before the pro-tem Speaker, who will be assisted by a panel of chairpersons comprising Congress leader K Suresh, DMK leader T R Baalu, BJP members Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste and TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadyay.

Mathab quit the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to join the BJP. The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on June 24. The newly elected members will take oath/affirmation on June 24-25. The election of the Speaker is scheduled to take place on June 26.

In the 17th Lok Sabha, senior BJP leader Om Birla was the Speaker. The Speaker is the custodian of the House. Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had met BJP allies TDP and JD(U) to discuss names for the post of the Speaker in the 18th Lok Sabha.