Senior cabinet minister Rajnath Singh, alongside Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, is reaching out to opposition leaders to build a consensus for the positions of Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker. This move comes as the deadline for nominations approaches, with the elections scheduled for June 26. The consensus-based election of the Speaker has been a tradition since independence, but the opposition INDIA bloc’s potential candidate announcement could lead to the first-ever election for this position.
BulletsIn
- Rajnath Singh is reaching out to opposition leaders to build a consensus for the Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker posts.
- Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is also involved in reaching out to the opposition.
- If the opposition INDIA bloc fields a candidate, it will be the first time elections are held for the Speaker’s post.
- Traditionally, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker have been elected by consensus between the ruling party and the opposition.
- There is speculation that Om Birla, the Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha, may be nominated again.
- Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab is also seen as a possible candidate for the Speaker’s post.
- The nomination process is set to occur today, with elections scheduled for June 26.
- The INDIA bloc carried out a protest, holding copies of the Constitution, amid the row over Mahtab’s appointment as pro-tem Speaker.
- The Deputy Speaker position, which remained vacant in the last term, is traditionally given to the opposition.
- BJP MP Khagen Murmu believes the opposition is attempting to disrupt proceedings, claiming they lack the numbers to ensure their candidate’s election.
