Bhartruhari Mahtab Appointed Pro-tem Speaker of Lok Sabha

Seven-term parliamentarian Bhartruhari Mahtab has been appointed as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu. Mahtab will oversee the duties of the presiding officer until the Speaker's election on June 26.

Seven-term parliamentarian Bhartruhari Mahtab was on Thursday appointed as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Mahtab, a BJP member from Cuttack, under Article 95(1) of the Constitution. He will perform the duties of the Lok Sabha presiding officer until the Speaker is elected on June 26.

The newly elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha will make their oath or affirmation before Mahtab, assisted by a panel of chairpersons including Congress leader K Suresh, DMK leader T R Baalu, BJP members Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste, and TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay. Mahtab recently quit the BJD ahead of the elections to join the BJP.