President Droupadi Murmu appointed Bhartruhari Mahtab, a member of the Lok Sabha, as the Speaker pro tem.
The seven-time Cuttack MP was appointed under Article 95(1) of the Constitution. He will perform the duties of the Lok Sabha presiding officer till the election of the Speaker. The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will be held between June 24 and July 3. The new Speaker is likely to be elected on June 26. The newly elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha will take oath before the pro tem Speaker.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will move the motion for election of the Speaker in the Lok Sabha on June 26, according to a report by PTI.
Who is Bhartruhari Mahtab?
Bhartruhari Mahtab, son of Odisha's former Chief Minister, Harekrushna Mahtab, was with Naveen Patnaik-led BJD prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Mahtab (66) had announced his resignation from the party in March, citing reduced activity within the party recently. Later he joined the BJP.
Harekrushna Mahtab was a member of the Indian National Congress and played a crucial role in the Independence struggle. Bhatruhari currently is the owner and editor of The Prajatantra, an Odia daily founded by his father.
Mahtab has been elected as an MP seven times from Cuttack. He won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the seat by more than 57,000
Mahtab received the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award in 2017, and the Sansad Ratna Award 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 for his outstanding role as an MP.
In the previous Lok Sabha, Mahtab was the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development, the deputy chairperson of the Committee on Official Language, and a member of the Public Accounts Committee.
The choice of Bhartruhari Mahtab comes after the BJP's recent strong performance in Odisha. The BJP dislodged Naveen Patnaik's 24-year regime. The BJP won 78 seats, four over the majority mark, and formed a government in the state. The BJD won 51 seats, while the Congress won 14 and the CPI(M) won one seat.
The BJP also won 20 out of 21 Lok Sabha seatswhile the Congress bagged one.
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