Initiate process of electing LS deputy speaker: Kharge writes to PM Modi
NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to initiate the process of electing a deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Keeping the position vacant "does not augur well for India's democratic polity and is also in violation of well-laid-out provisions of the Constitution," the Congress chief said.
"Dear Prime Minister, I am writing to bring to your kind attention the highly concerning matter in regard to the prevailing vis-í -vis the vacancy of the deputy speaker in the Lok Sabha. Article 93 of the Constitution of India mandates the election of both the speaker and the deputy speaker of the House of the People. Constitutionally, the deputy speaker is the second-highest presiding officer of the House after the speaker," he said.
Kharge said traditionally, the deputy speaker has been elected in the second or third session of a newly constituted Lok Sabha.
The procedure for this election mirrors that of the speaker, with the only distinction being that the date for the deputy speaker's election is fixed by the speaker, as per Rule 8(1) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, he noted.
In his letter to the PM, Kharge noted that from the first to the sixteenth Lok Sabha, every House has had a deputy speaker.
By and large, it has been a well-established convention to appoint the deputy speaker from among the members of the principal opposition party, he said.
"However, for the first time in independent India's history, this position has remained vacant for two consecutive Lok Sabha terms. No deputy speaker was elected during the seventeenth Lok Sabha, and this concerning precedent continues in the ongoing eighteenth Lok Sabha," Kharge said.
"This does not augur well for India's democratic polity and is also in violation of well laid out provisions of the Constitution," the Congress chief said.
"In view of the foregoing and in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the House and the democratic ethos of our Parliament, I request your good self to initiate the process of electing a deputy speaker of Lok Sabha without any further delay," he asserted Kharge's demand comes ahead of Parliament's Monsoon session of Parliament starting from July 21.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
39 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Congress to hold mashal marches across Maharashtra
The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee will organise mashal (torch) marches across the state between June 12 and 14 to protest what it calls a systematic erosion of democratic processes under the BJP regime. The party has questioned the election commission's credibility and has hit out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for 'sidestepping serious concerns' raised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over alleged electoral manipulation. Congress state vice president and former MLA Mohan Joshi announced the agitation on Tuesday, saying, 'Rahul Gandhi's recent newspaper article exposed the BJP's blueprint of vote theft in Maharashtra. It has rattled the ruling party. Instead of the Election Commission responding, Fadnavis jumped in with a reply that deflects from the core issue and misleads the people.' In his article published Saturday, Gandhi had described the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections as a 'blueprint for rigging democracy,' alleging a pattern of electoral 'match-fixing' that could soon be replicated in Bihar. The Election Commission dismissed the claims as 'absolutely absurd' and accused Gandhi of defaming the institution after an unfavourable result. Responding the next day, Fadnavis said, 'Rahul Gandhi consistently insults the democratic process. He repeatedly disrespects the public mandate. People have rejected Rahul Gandhi, and in retaliation, he is rejecting the people. This will only push the Congress party further into decline.' Joshi, however, accused Fadnavis of avoiding the real concerns raised by Gandhi. 'Instead of addressing the serious irregularities, he launched a personal attack. Why is the chief minister responding on behalf of the Election Commission? That itself raises suspicion,' Joshi said. He pointed out that Gandhi had questioned the process through which the Modi government amended the Constitution to remove the Chief Justice of India from the committee that appoints election commissioners, replacing the seat with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 'This move gave the ruling party complete control over the selection of commissioners—this is where the electoral fraud begins,' Joshi said. He added that Congress governments had always followed a transparent process in appointing election commissioners, with no political interference. 'No one questioned the integrity of the commissioners we appointed. But Fadnavis, in his article, avoided these facts and instead chose to make shallow accusations,' Joshi said. Joshi also raised concerns over the unusual spike in voter numbers during the 2024 Assembly elections and reports of polling continuing beyond official hours in certain constituencies. 'Fadnavis has deliberately ignored these issues. His silence on this reinforces doubts about the fairness of the process,' he said.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Ciattarelli and Sherrill win New Jersey primaries, set stage for high-stakes governor's race
New Jersey's 2025 gubernatorial race is officially set, with Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill securing their parties' nominations after a fiercely contested and record-breaking primary season. Ciattarelli rides Trump endorsement to GOP victory Jack Ciattarelli, a former state legislator, emerged victorious in the Republican primary , defeating four rivals: former radio personality Bill Spadea, State Senator Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and contractor Justin Barbera. Ciattarelli's campaign was buoyed by a high-profile endorsement from President Donald Trump, who rallied supporters via a tele-rally, declaring Ciattarelli 'is going to help us win November and send a powerful message that New Jersey is turning red'. Ciattarelli, who nearly unseated Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in 2021, positioned himself as the Trump-aligned candidate most capable of flipping the traditionally blue state. 'He endorsed me because I'm the only individual who can defeat the Democrats in November, and the objective is to win,' Ciattarelli said during a recent debate. Sherrill wins rowded Democratic field On the Democratic side, Rep. Mikie Sherrill claimed victory in a crowded field of six, including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, Sean Spiller, and former State Senate President Steve Sweeney. Live Events Sherrill, a moderate and former Navy helicopter pilot, leaned on her military and prosecutorial background, emphasizing leadership and crisis management: 'I learned early on: In a crisis, the worst thing you can do is freeze. You have to choose to lead,' she told supporters. Sherrill's campaign focused on affordability, promising to expand the state's Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, and invest in housing and renewable energy. She raised $2.8 million during the primary, making her one of the top House fundraisers nationally. A record-breaking, open race This year's primaries were the most expensive in New Jersey's history, with major-party candidates spending nearly $55 million, including $37 million in public matching funds. The open seat, due to Governor Murphy's term limits, drew an unusually crowded and competitive field on both sides, with no clear front-runner until the final votes were tallied. With Ciattarelli and Sherrill now set for a high-stakes November showdown, New Jersey voters will decide whether the Garden State stays blue or flips red in one of 2025's most closely watched gubernatorial contests.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Plea claims Priyanka Gandhi hid assets in poll info, HC sends her notice
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (File photo) KOCHI: Kerala high court on Tuesday issued notice to Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra seeking her response to a petition challenging her election from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in the Nov 2024 byelection. Justice K Babu admitted the election petition filed by BJP candidate Navya Haridas seeking Priyanka's election to be declared void, and posted it for further hearing in Aug. In her petition, Haridas has accused Priyanka of corrupt practices and suppression or non-disclosure of several immovable properties owned by her and her spouse, Robert Vadra, in the affidavit submitted along with her nomination papers. The petition alleges that Priyanka suppressed vital information regarding assets owned by her and her family, thereby misleading and misinforming voters and keeping them in the dark to influence their electoral choice. This, the petitioner contends, amounts to corrupt practices under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The petition also alleges that Priyanka's nomination papers violated election laws and the Conduct of Election Rules. In the byelection, necessitated by Rahul Gandhi vacating the seat in favour of Rae Bareli, Priyanka secured her maiden electoral victory with a margin exceeding four lakh votes. She polled 6,22,338 votes while LDF candidate Sathyan Mokeri secured 2,11,407 votes. Haridas, the petitioner, was placed third with 1,09,939 votes.
