Protem Speaker appointment: President Droupadi Murmu has appointed BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as Protem Speaker, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Thursday (June 20). The President also appointed Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste, and Sudip Bandyopadhyay to assist the Protem Speaker till the election of the Speaker.
President Murmu administers oath to pro-tem speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab
Bhartruhari Mahtab was sworn in as the pro-tem speaker by President Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Following the ceremony, Mahtab met with Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi before administering oaths to newly elected MPs.
Bhartruhari Mahtab was sworn in as the pro-tem speaker by President Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The ceremony marks the beginning of Mahtab’s duties in his new role.
After taking the oath, Mahtab met with Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signifying his formal assumption of responsibilities.
In his first official act as pro-tem speaker, Mahtab administered the oaths of office to the newly elected Members of Parliament, continuing the formal proceedings of the legislative body.
"President is pleased to appoint Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Member, Lok Sabha as Speaker Protem under Article 95(1) of the Constitution to perform the duties of Speaker till election of the Speaker. President is also pleased to appoint Shri Suresh Kodikunnil, Shri Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste and Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Members of Lok Sabha under Article 99 of the Constitution to assist Speaker Protem in Oath/Affirmation to newly elected Members of 18th Lok Sabha till election of the Speaker," Rijiju tweeted.
Mathab quit the BJD ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to join the BJP.
Mahtab, who had won the Cuttack seat six times since 1998 on a BJD ticket, resigned from the regional party due to dissatisfaction with its recent functioning and joined the BJP ahead of this year's Lok Sabha elections. Mahtab, the son of Odisha’s first chief minister Harekrushna Mahtab, contested Cuttack again in 2024, this time as a BJP candidate, and defeated BJD’s Santrupt Misra.
Congress reacts to Proteam Speaker's appointment
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the MP who has served the maximum terms is appointed Speaker Protem, however, Mahtab, who has served six terms and is into his seventh now, has been appointed instead.
"By convention, the MP who has served the maximum terms is appointed Speaker Protem for the first two days when oath is administered to all newly elected MPs. The seniormost MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha are Kodikunnil Suresh (INC) and Virendra Kumar (BJP), both of who are now serving their 8th term. The latter is now a Union Minister and hence it was expected that Kodikunnil Suresh would be the Speaker Protem. Instead, a 7-term MP, Bhartruhari Mahtab has been appointed Speaker Protem. He was a BJD MP for 6 terms and is now a BJP MP," Jairam posted on X.
18th Lok Sabha
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on June 24. During this session, new members of the lower house will be sworn in, and the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker will take place on June 26.
Sources said on Tuesday (June 18) that the top office of the Lower House of the Parliament is likely to go to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the position of Deputy Speaker may be given to an NDA ally. The I.N.D.I.A bloc has demanded the post of Deputy Speaker, which has conventionally always gone to the Opposition. However, the 17th Lok Sabha did not have any MP positioned in this office.
