New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to move a motion in the Lok Sabha today to elect Om Birla as the Speaker of the lower house, amidst a competition with the opposition’s INDIA bloc.
The agenda for today includes the swearing-in of the remaining MPs who have not yet taken their oaths. Following this, PM Modi will bring forward the motion to elect Om Birla as the Speaker, with Rajnath Singh set to second the proposal.
Union Ministers such as Lallan Singh, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Amit Shah, Chirag Paswan, HD Kumaraswamy, and Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu will also support the motion to elect Birla as Speaker. The opposition has nominated K Suresh as their candidate against Birla, leading to an election in the Lok Sabha when it reconvenes today.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadauria, and NCP (SCP) MP Supriya Sule will move the motion for K Suresh to be elected as Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Additionally, PM Modi will introduce newly inducted ministers and ministers of state to the council.
Traditionally, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha are elected by consensus between the ruling party and the opposition. This contest features BJP’s Om Birla, a three-time MP from Kota, Rajasthan, against Congress’ Kodikunnil Suresh, an eight-term parliamentarian from Kerala’s Mavelikara, making Suresh the longest-serving MP in the 18th Lok Sabha.
Both the BJP and the Congress have issued three-line whips to their members, requiring their presence in the Lok Sabha today from 11 am until the end of the proceedings. The INDIA bloc is likely to push for a voice vote rather than a division of votes to make its stance clear.
Former Secretary General of the Lok Sabha PD Thankappan Achary noted that while elections for the Speaker’s post are mandated, actual contests are rare but have occurred in the past. The NDA, with 293 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha, holds a clear majority, while the opposition INDIA bloc comprises 234 MPs.
