BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab Appointed LS Pro-tem Speaker, Congress Cries Foul

Seven-time Parliamentarian Bhartrihari Mahtab was on Thursday appointed the Pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Thursday.

Mahtab will remain as Pro-tem Speaker until the new Lok Sabha Speaker is elected.

In a post on X, Union Minister Rijiju said: "President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as Pro-tem Speaker under Article 95(1) of the Constitution. He will perform the duties of the Speaker till the election of the Speaker in the Lok Sabha is held."

Reacting to the development, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal said it is another attempt to destroy the Parliamentary norms as Bhartruhari Mahtab has been appointed the Pro-tem Speaker instead of the senior-most MP, Kodikunnil Suresh from Kerala, who is an eight-term Parliamentarian.

Venugopal added that it is an undisputed norm that the senior-most MP presides over the proceedings of the Parliament House before the Speaker is duly elected.

"It is a matter of immense pride for our party that K. Suresh, a leader from the marginalised section of the society, has achieved the feat of being an eight-term MP.

"The government should explain why it chose to overlook K Suresh, what was the factor that disqualified him from this post? Are there deeper issues influencing this decision, perhaps beyond just merit and seniority." Venugopal asked in a post on X.

Under Article 99 of the Constitution, the President has appointed Lok Sabha MPs Kodikunnil Suresh, T.R. Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste, and Sudip Bandyopadhyay to assist the Pro-tem Speaker in the oath-taking of the newly-elected MPs.