Kiren Rijiju Defends Appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as Pro-tem Speaker Amid Congress Criticism
New Delhi, June 21: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab has been appointed as the pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. This decision has sparked criticism from the Congress party, which argues that the senior-most MP, Kodikkunnil Suresh, should have been appointed instead.
Rijiju emphasized that the appointment was made according to the rules and urged Congress not to politicize the issue. He stated, “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 with no business transactions.”
President Droupadi Murmu appointed Bhartruhari Mahtab under Article 95(1) of the Constitution. Additionally, Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste, and Sudip Bandyopadhyay were appointed to assist the pro-tem Speaker in administering the oath to newly elected members.
Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal and Manickam Tagore, criticized the decision, arguing that it deviates from the traditional practice of appointing the senior-most MP. They claimed that this move undermines parliamentary norms and disrespects the democratic process.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on June 24, followed by the Rajya Sabha session on June 27.
