Parliament Highlights: Speaker Recognises Congress MP Rahul Gandhi As Leader Of Opposition Lok Sabha

Parliament Highlights: Please follow this space for all the latest updates pertaining to the Speaker election set to take place during the 18th Lok Sabha.

Background

Parliament Highlights: Please follow this space and keep refreshing the page for all the latest updates pertaining to the first-ever Speaker election set to take place during the 18th Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha is set to witness a rare election for the Speaker's post, marking the first such event since 1976.Congress member Kodikunnil Suresh has been nominated as the opposition candidate, challenging the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Om Birla. This development follows Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for failing to assure the opposition of the Deputy Speaker's post.Historically, elections for the Speaker's position were common prior to Independence. However, in the independent era of India, the position of the Lok Sabha's presiding officer has only seen contests in 1952, 1967, and 1976.In 1952, Congress member G V Mavalankar became the Lok Sabha Speaker after securing 394 votes against Shantaram More, who received 55 votes. The 1967 election saw Tenneti Viswanatham challenge Congress nominee Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, who won with 278 votes to Viswanatham's 207.The fifth Lok Sabha, which extended its duration by a year due to the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975, saw Speaker G S Dhillon resign on December 1, 1975. Subsequently, Congress leader Baliram Bhagat was elected as the Speaker on January 5, 1976, receiving 344 votes against Jana Sangh leader Jagannathrao Joshi's 58 votes.In 1998, Congress leader Sharad Pawar's motion to elect P A Sangma as Speaker was negatived. Following this, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's motion to elect TDP member G M C Balayogi as the Speaker was adopted. Balayogi later became the Speaker of the 13th Lok Sabha until his untimely death in a helicopter crash on March 3, 2002.Since Independence, only a few have retained the Speaker's post across subsequent Lok Sabhas. These include M A Ayyangar, G S Dhillon, Balram Jakhar, and G M C Balayogi. Notably, Jakhar served as Speaker for two consecutive terms, a unique distinction.On Tuesday, as Congress nominated eight-term member Kodikunnil Suresh for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju urged the opposition to reconsider its decision. The forthcoming election promises to be a significant political event, given its rarity and the historical context surrounding it.Rahul Gandhi expressed his disappointment, stating, "Rajnath Singh failed to give an assurance on the opposition party’s claim to the Deputy Speaker's post." 

26/06/2024 19:05:53

Parliament Live: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Mets Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla In New Delhi

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. He congratulated and wished him for his second term as the Lok Sabha Speaker.

26/06/2024 15:31:11

Parliament Live: Speaker Recognises Congress MP Rahul Gandhi As Leader Of Opposition Lok Sabha

The speaker has recognised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. (ANI Input)

26/06/2024 13:26:56

Lok Sabha Speaker Election LIVE: Lower House Adjourned To Meet Again Tomorrow

Lok Sabha adjourned to meet again tomorrow, on 27th June.

26/06/2024 13:24:19

Lok Sabha Speaker Election LIVE: Om Birla 'Condemns' Emergency In Lower House, Calls It 'Black Chapter Of India's History'

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla says "This House strongly condemns the decision to impose Emergency in 1975. Along with this, we appreciate the determination of all those people who opposed the Emergency, fought and fulfilled the responsibility of protecting the democracy of India. 25th June 1975 will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India. On this day, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in the country and attacked the Constitution made by Baba Saheb Ambedkar. India is known all over the world as the mother of democracy. Democratic values ​​and debate have always been supported in India. Democratic values ​​have always been protected, they have always been encouraged. Dictatorship was imposed on such an India by Indira Gandhi. The democratic values ​​of India were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled.."

26/06/2024 12:04:57

Lok Sabha Speaker Election LIVE — Works That Didn't Happen In 70 Yrs, Made Possible Under Your Chairmanship: PM Modi Hails Om Birla

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "The works that didn't happen during 70 years of independence, were made possible by this House under your chairmanship. Several milestones come in the long journey of democracy. A few occasions are such when we receive the opportunity to establish milestones. I am very confident that the country will be proud of the achievements of the 17th Lok Sabha."

26/06/2024 11:18:30

Lok Sabha Speaker Election Live: Om Birla Elected As Lok Sabha Speaker

The motion to elect BJP MP Om Birla as the Lok Sabha Speaker moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was adopted and Birla was elected as the speaker of the Lower House.

26/06/2024 11:14:12

Lok Sabha Speaker Election Live: BJP-Led NDA MPs Back Om Birla

Om Birla's motion was backed by: Rajnath Singh, Lalan Singh, Rajkumar Sangwan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Jadhav Pratap Rao Ganpat Rao, Chirag Paswan, Jayant, HD Kumaraswamy, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Anupriya Patel, S. P. Singh Baghel.

26/06/2024 11:07:57

Lok Sabha Speaker Election Live: PM Modi Moves Motion In Favour Of Om Birla

Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved the motion in favour of Om Birla for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker. 

26/06/2024 09:26:22

Lok Sabha Speaker Election Live: Mamata's TMC To Back INDIA Bloc's Pick K Suresh

In the latest developments pertaining to the election of the Lok Sabha speaker, Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has extended support to INDIA bloc's candidate, K Suresh. 

26/06/2024 09:19:00

Parliament Speaker Election Live: TDP Issues Whip To Party MPs

Harish Balayogi, Whip of the Telugu Desam Party, has issued a three-line whip to all TDP Members of Parliament, mandating their presence and vote for the NDA candidate, Om Birla, in the upcoming Speaker elections scheduled for June 26, 2024. All members are requested to gather in the Parliamentary office, Room Number 111-B, by 10:30 AM.

26/06/2024 07:04:23

Parliament Speaker Election Live: YSRCP Likely To Support Om Birla In Speaker Election

The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP is likely to support NDA candidate Om Birla in Wednesday's Lok Sabha Speaker election in case its support is needed. The party has four Lok Sabha members.

However, the party's Rajampet MP PV Midhun Reddy said YSRCP is yet to announce its decision and it will be disclosed on Wednesday. "Officially we will announce our decision tomorrow but our support will be natural for the NDA candidate," YSRCP sources told PTI.

Further, the sources noted that no YSRCP MP was in touch with the INDI alliance, which is also contesting the Speaker election. Another senior YSRCP leader said the party never opposed NDA's decisions earlier and the same trend will be followed now.

26/06/2024 06:27:17

Parliament Speaker Election Live: Lok Sabha Braces For Speaker's Election After 1976

The Lok Sabha will witness a rare election for the Speaker's post – the first since 1976 – as Congress member Kodikunnil Suresh has been made the opposition candidate against NDA nominee Om Birla.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh failed to give an assurance on the opposition party’s claim to the Deputy Speaker's post.

While elections to the Speaker's post were common before Independence, the position of the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha has witnessed contests only thrice in Independent India – in 1952, 1967 and 1976.

26/06/2024 06:25:52

Parliament Speaker Election Live: TDP Issues Whip To Party's 16 Lok Sabha MPs To Vote For Om Birla

The Telugu Desam Party on Tuesday issued a whip to its 16 Lok Sabha members to vote for NDA's Om Birla in Wednesday's Speaker election. In a three-line whip, TDP's Amalapuram MP Harish Balayogi directed all the MPs to assemble at room number 111–B by 10:30 am on Wednesday.

"Harish Balayogi, whip of the Telugu Desam Party has issued a three-line whip to all TDP Members of Parliament, mandating their presence and vote for the NDA candidate, Om Birla, in the upcoming Speaker election scheduled for June 26, 2024," said a TDP press note on Tuesday.

26/06/2024 06:22:54

Parliament Speaker Election Live: Om Birla Vs K Suresh For Speaker Post In Lower House

Congress member Kodikunnil Suresh has been nominated as the opposition candidate, challenging the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Om Birla. This development follows Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for failing to assure the opposition of the Deputy Speaker's post.