 "Who Is Bhartruhari Mahtab? BJP's pro-tem speaker who sparked controversy")
The first session of the Parliament following the 18th Lok Sabha elections commenced today with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Bhartruhari Mahtab being sworn in as the pro-tem Speaker by President Droupadi Murmu. Mahtab’s appointment has drawn criticism from the Opposition who feel the move deviates from tradition.
Mahtab will now administer the oath to Prime Minister Modi and approximately 280 newly elected MPs today. The remaining MPs, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will take their oaths as members of the Lok Sabha tomorrow.
What is a pro-tem Speaker?
The pro-tem Speaker, appointed by the President, plays a crucial role in administering oaths to new MPs and overseeing House proceedings until a permanent Speaker is elected.
According to Article 94 of the Constitution, the Speaker’s office becomes vacant before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha, necessitating the appointment of a pro-tem Speaker.
The Lok Sabha Speaker will be elected on June 26. Until then, the pro-tem Speaker will oversee the initial sessions and conduct the election for the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The Speaker will be elected by a simple majority, a process the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is likely to dominate.
In the 17th Lok Sabha, Virendra Kumar served as the pro-tem Speaker, appointed by then-President Ram Nath Kovind.
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Who is Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab?
Bhartruhari Mahtab, a seasoned politician from Odisha, has been a member of the Lok Sabha since 1998. He is the son of late Harekrushna Mahatab, a two-time Chief Minister of Odisha. Initially a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Mahtab switched to the BJP in March 2024. He has been re-elected from the Cuttack constituency multiple times.
What is the controversy around pro-tem speaker appointment?
The appointment of BJP leader Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker has sparked a dispute between the ruling NDA and the Opposition's INDIA bloc. The Opposition, particularly the Congress party, has criticised the selection of Mahtab, arguing that it deviates from the tradition of appointing the senior-most MP. They pointed out that K Suresh, an eight-term member and a Dalit leader, was overlooked for the post.
“Kodikunnil Suresh of the INC, who is in his eighth term, should have been Speaker pro-tem. But Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJP has been appointed on the flimsy grounds that he has a greater claim because this is his seventh consecutive term.”
“If this argument is adopted, then why has Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi, a BJP MP who is also in his seventh consecutive term, not been considered? Is it because he is a Dalit like Suresh?” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
In response to Mahtab’s appointment, the INDIA bloc has decided to withdraw its members from the panel of chairpersons assisting Mahtab.
Pro-tem speaker appointed by convention, not law
BJP MP Sambit Patra, on Sunday, defended Mahtab, stating that the pro-tem speaker was appointed through convention, not law.
The government defended Mahtab’s appointment, highlighting his uninterrupted tenure in the Lok Sabha, unlike Suresh, who lost elections in 1998 and 2004.
“The President of India recommends the pro-tem speaker through Article 95 of the Constitution of India. It is a long convention that has been going on in this beautiful democracy of India since independence. Now, Congress is trying to disturb this process,” BJP’s Patra said.
“Bhartruhari Mahtab is serving as an MP consecutively for the seventh time. The convention says that the MP with the longest period of unbroken service can be appointed as pro-tem Speaker. So, in this 18th Lok Sabha, Bhartruhari Mahtab qualifies to become the pro-tem Speaker... there has been no breach of convention,” he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the Opposition, saying, “We all want the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha to run peacefully. This is also the wish of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is a special session. There is no business transaction in this special session.”
NEET to be key point in Lok Sabha
President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on June 27, outlining the government’s roadmap for the next five years.
The Opposition, led by Congress, plans to raise significant issues in this session, including the recent exam fiasco and alleged irregularities in competitive exams like National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and National Eligibility Test (NET).
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has promised to press for justice for students affected by these issues.
The 18th Lok Sabha session in Parliament will begin on June 24, while the Rajya Sabha session will begin on June 27.
(With agency inputs)