New Delhi: BJP MP
Sambit Patra
defended the
appointment
of
Bhartruhari Mahtab
as the
pro-tem Speaker
for the 18th Lok Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu. Patra said that the decision was made according to established
convention
rather than law. Patra's comments came in response to
Congress
's objections, which he argues are disrupting a
long-standing process
.
"The pro-tem Speaker is appointed through a convention, not a law. It is a long convention that has been followed in India since independence," Patra said. He explained that the convention dictates that the MP with the longest unbroken service is typically chosen for the role. Bhartruhari Mahtab, who is currently serving his seventh consecutive term, meets this criterion, according to Patra.
Congress has put forward K Suresh as a candidate, noting his eight terms as an MP. However, Patra highlighted that Suresh's service has not been continuous, as he is now in his fourth consecutive term, compared to Mahtab's seven. "The convention says that the MP with the longest period of unbroken service can be appointed as pro-tem Speaker," Patra said, asserting that Mahtab’s appointment adheres to this tradition.
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