Om Birla elected Lok Sabha Speaker unanimously

New Delhi: BJP leader Om Birla was on Wednesday elected Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha with the Opposition supporting his candidature and ensuring a unanimous decision, which was hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'matter of great pride'.

The election by voice vote took place after the Prime Minister proposed the name of the 56-year-old two-term member from Kota in Rajasthan in the Lok Sabha. The proposal was seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

A total of 13 motions were moved in support of Birla as the Opposition Congress and the Trinamool Congress joined the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in ensuring his election.

Birla, who was a three-time MLA from Kota before becoming the MP, was escorted to the Speaker's chair by the Prime Minister, Leader of the Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay and leaders of other parties which supported his candidature.

Modi said he has worked with Birla for a long time and that the focal point of his politics has been "public service". The new Speaker is a "compassionate" person who will "discipline and inspire us", the Prime Minister said, expressing confidence that Birla would act as a "catalytic agent" in setting higher standards of the Lower House of Parliament.

Chowdhury, while assuring his party's support to Birla, urged the new Speaker that the House should abide by democratic practices. "I want to assure the Prime Minister that we believe in discussion, dissent and decision. And we expect our right to be respected. In parliamentary discussions, we must avoid the ordinance route because it is against democratic norms," the Congress leader said.

Birla thanked the political parties for unanimously electing him as the Speaker and pledged to discharge his duties without any bias. "This Chair is impartial and it is meant to be impartial," Birla said in a brief speech after assuming the Chair.