Lok Sabha Speaker Election Live Updates: In his first address after being elected as Speaker, Om Birla emphasized “Discussion should be held, and views and criticism should be expressed. But there should be no deadlock in the House”.
The Lok Sabha witnessed a commotion on Wednesday following Speaker Om Birla’s statement on the Emergency, describing it as a dark period in India’s history. He criticized the imposition of dictatorship by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, emphasizing the suppression of democratic values and freedom of expression. The session was adjourned and is set to resume on June 27th.
In his acceptance speech after being re-elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker, Birla pledged to uphold parliamentary decorum and expressed hope for productive discussions rather than stalemates in future sessions. With the majority in favor of the ruling NDA coalition, Birla secured his position as Speaker. Prime Minister Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi congratulated him and escorted him to the Speaker’s chair. Modi commended Birla’s parliamentary contributions as an inspiration for new members of the Lok Sabha. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi expressed his desire for the Opposition to have a voice in the House.
Birla’s opponent, Congress candidate K Suresh, had filed his nomination after the ruling party and Opposition failed to reach a consensus the previous evening. Traditionally, the Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected through consensus between the ruling party and the opposition. However, due to a lack of agreement this time, an election was conducted. This election for the post has occurred only three times in history—1952, 1967, and 1976.
Who is Om Birla?
Om Birla, born in 1962, serves as the 18th Lok Sabha Speaker. He became Speaker in 2019 after being a two-term MP, a role typically held by senior leaders.
Birla began his political journey in 1987 as the district president of the BJP’s youth wing in Kota. He first won the Kota assembly seat in 2003 and served as a Rajasthan lawmaker until 2014, when he won his first Lok Sabha election from Kota-Bundi.
On June 19, 2019, Birla was elected as the Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha. During his tenure, significant legislation such as the Women’s Reservation Bill and the repeal of Article 370 was passed by Parliament.