Om Birla has been elected as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha following a voice vote in the Lower House of the Parliament on Wednesday. The 18th Lok Sabha witnessed a rare contest for the Speaker post between Om Birla of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress after the NDA government and the INDIA group of Opposition parties failed to reach a consensus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the motion to elect Om Birla as the Lok Sabha Speaker on Wednesday. On the other hand, the motion to appoint Kodikunnil Suresh as the Speaker was put forward by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant.
Following Birla’s election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him and said he looks forward to the Speaker’s guidance for the next five years.
“I want to congratulate you on behalf of the House. It is a huge responsibility for you to sit on this post for the second time during the Amrit Kaal. With your experience, we hope that you will guide us for the next 5 years. Aapke chehre par yeh meethi meethi muskaan poore Sadan ko prasann rakhti hai (Your sweet smile keeps the entire House happy). Becoming the Speaker for the second time is a record in itself. Balram Jakhar got the opportunity to serve as the Speaker for the second term after competing 5 years and today you are doing the same…”
Meanwhile, the leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, also extended wishes to Birla and accompanied him to the chair along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and PM Modi. “We are confident that by allowing the Opposition to speak, by allowing us to represent the people of India, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution of India. I’d like to once again congratulate you and also all the members of the House who have won their election,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Om Birla, the MP from Rajasthan’s Kota constituency, was the speaker during the 17th Lok Sabha between 2019 and 2024. Suresh is the MP from Kerala’s Mavelikara.
In the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 240 seats. This was a significant fall from its tally of 303 seats in 2019. As it fell short of the majority mark of 272 seats, it had to depend on its partners in the National Democratic Alliance to form the government.
The Opposition INDIA bloc collectively has 232 seats in the Lower House.
Who is Om Birla?
Om Birla, born in 1962, holds the position of the 18th Lok Sabha Speaker. Despite being a two-term MP, Birla’s appointment as the Speaker in 2019 was considered unconventional due to the norm of appointing senior leaders to this role.
Birla’s political journey began in 1987 when he assumed the role of the district president of the BJP’s youth wing in Kota.
His electoral success began in 2003 when he secured the Kota assembly seat, eventually becoming a prominent Rajasthan lawmaker until 2014. Subsequently, he won the Lok Sabha elections from Kota-Bundi. On June 19, 2019, Birla was elected as the Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha, overseeing the passage of significant legislation like the Women’s Reservation Bill and the revocation of Article 370.
Om Birla has been elected as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha following a voice vote in the Lower House of the Parliament on Wednesday. The 18th Lok Sabha witnessed a rare contest for the Speaker post between Om Birla of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress after the NDA government and the INDIA group of Opposition parties failed to reach a consensus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the motion to elect Om Birla as the Lok Sabha Speaker on Wednesday. On the other hand, the motion to appoint Kodikunnil Suresh as the Speaker was put forward by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant.
Following Birla’s election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him and said he looks forward to the Speaker’s guidance for the next five years.
“I want to congratulate you on behalf of the House. It is a huge responsibility for you to sit on this post for the second time during the Amrit Kaal. With your experience, we hope that you will guide us for the next 5 years. Aapke chehre par yeh meethi meethi muskaan poore Sadan ko prasann rakhti hai (Your sweet smile keeps the entire House happy). Becoming the Speaker for the second time is a record in itself. Balram Jakhar got the opportunity to serve as the Speaker for the second term after competing 5 years and today you are doing the same…”
Meanwhile, the leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, also extended wishes to Birla and accompanied him to the chair along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and PM Modi. “We are confident that by allowing the Opposition to speak, by allowing us to represent the people of India, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution of India. I’d like to once again congratulate you and also all the members of the House who have won their election,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Om Birla, the MP from Rajasthan’s Kota constituency, was the speaker during the 17th Lok Sabha between 2019 and 2024. Suresh is the MP from Kerala’s Mavelikara.
In the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 240 seats. This was a significant fall from its tally of 303 seats in 2019. As it fell short of the majority mark of 272 seats, it had to depend on its partners in the National Democratic Alliance to form the government.
The Opposition INDIA bloc collectively has 232 seats in the Lower House.
Who is Om Birla?
Om Birla, born in 1962, holds the position of the 18th Lok Sabha Speaker. Despite being a two-term MP, Birla’s appointment as the Speaker in 2019 was considered unconventional due to the norm of appointing senior leaders to this role.
Birla’s political journey began in 1987 when he assumed the role of the district president of the BJP’s youth wing in Kota.
His electoral success began in 2003 when he secured the Kota assembly seat, eventually becoming a prominent Rajasthan lawmaker until 2014. Subsequently, he won the Lok Sabha elections from Kota-Bundi. On June 19, 2019, Birla was elected as the Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha, overseeing the passage of significant legislation like the Women’s Reservation Bill and the revocation of Article 370.