Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal led a group of newly elected NDA MPs from Assam to pay a courtesy visit to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the Parliament House on Friday. This visit came shortly after Birla, an MP from Kota, Rajasthan, was re-elected as the Speaker of Lok Sabha for a second consecutive term on June 26, 2024.
The motion to re-elect Om Birla was moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It was adopted by the House through a voice vote. The pro-tem speaker, Bhartruhari Mahtab, declared Birla as the Speaker amidst echoes of ‘Ayes’ and ‘Noes’ from the house.
Interestingly, under the INDIA bloc, the opposition had filed K Suresh as their candidate for the Speaker’s position but did not press for a division vote. This election was noteworthy as it was the first time in decades that a Speaker was elected through a contested vote rather than consensus. Traditionally, the positions of Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker are decided through mutual agreement between the ruling party and the opposition.
The contest between Om Birla, a three-time MP from Kota, and Kodikunnil Suresh, an eight-term parliamentarian from Kerala’s Mavelikara, was significant. The NDA, which holds 293 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, demonstrated its clear majority to ensure Birla’s re-election. The INDIA bloc’s demand for the Deputy Speaker’s position in exchange for their support was not accepted by the NDA, leading to the contested election.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha commenced on June 24 and is set to conclude on July 3. Meanwhile, the 264th session of the Rajya Sabha began on June 27 and will also conclude on July 3. On June 27, President Droupadi Murmu addressed a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament, marking the formal beginning of the session.
The courtesy visit by Assam’s NDA MPs underscores the political significance of Om Birla’s re-election and highlights the continued influence and majority of the NDA in the Lok Sabha.
