Veteran BJP MP and former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi is set to take charge as Protem Speaker of 17th Lok Sabha.
Before the development; speculation had arisen that Seven time Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh, a 62 year old from Kerala, was set to be the Pro Tem speaker of coming Lok Sabha.
In Thursday’s swearing in ceremony Maneka did not take oath as Minister rather she was spotted at dignitaries and guests enclave.
Then it has been confirmed that as a senior most MP of Lok Sabha she will take responsibility of Pro Tem speaker, a PMO source said.
BJP’s Maneka Gandhi, Santosh Gangwar and K Suresh are senior most, but Gangwar was called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join his new cabinet. Then Maneka’s name came under consideration.
The post of Pro Tem Speaker is a ceremonial one, and the senior-most member officiates till a new Lok Sabha Speaker and is elected by the members of the new House.
The Pro Tem Speaker is the one who administers the oath of office to the newly elected members. Once they have all taken their oaths, they elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The Pro Tem Speaker then administers the oath of office to the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Also Read: 45 NRIs lose passports over abandoning wives
The role of the Pro Tem Speaker usually ends here, unless the posts of both Speaker and Deputy Speaker fall vacant for reasons such as death, resignation or incapacitation. In such an event, the Pro Tem Speaker officiates, again until a new Speaker can be chosen.
