Controversy Erupts Over Pro Tem Speaker Appointment

Opposition leaders nominated to aid pro tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab are considering not accepting their roles, objecting to Mahtab's appointment by President Droupadi Murmu. Opposition MPs argue that Congress leader K Suresh, despite serving eight terms, was overlooked for the position, raising concerns of parliamentary bias.

In a primary political development, opposition leaders named to support the pro tem Speaker, Bhartruhari Mahtab, are mulling over rejecting their appointments, an insider disclosed on Saturday.

The announcement follows a contentious debate over Mahtab's selection by President Droupadi Murmu under Article 95(1) of the Constitution, a decision that has provoked strong objections from opposition factions.

Mahtab, representing Odisha's BJP faction, will temporarily assume the duties of the Lok Sabha presiding officer until the new Speaker is elected on June 26. However, opposition MPs, including Congress's K Suresh, TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay, and DMK's T R Baalu, are reportedly considering abstaining from the panel formed to assist Mahtab.

Congress leaders assert that K Suresh, despite his eight-term service, was unjustly bypassed, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju clarifying Mahtab's uninterrupted tenure as the basis for his appointment. The Congress party has condemned this decision as an erosion of parliamentary standards.