Full pomp and show

The selection of the Pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha — the veteran member of the Lower House who presides over the proceedings till the Speaker is elected — is generally a low-key affair. The Lok Sabha member chosen as the pro-tem Speaker quietly takes his oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan in a programme attended by a few officials. But this time, President Pratibha Patil decided to add some colour and invited the top political leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, for the oath-taking programme of the pro-tem Speaker Manikrao Gavit. Even the Chief Justice of India and former CJI were invited.