BJP MP Om Birla Elected As Lok Sabha Speaker For 2nd Consecutive Term

BJP MP Om Birla defeated Congress MP K. Suresh in the Speaker election in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, June 26.

The election in the lower house of Parliament was conducted by a voice vote.

Birla was expected to win the election as numbers were in favour of ruling coalition.

As per reports, the majority mark to win the election was 269, while the NDA has over 290 members in its kitty.

After the pro-tem Speaker announced Birla's victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi escorted him to Lok Sabha Speaker's chair.

PM Modi was seen shaking hands with LoP Rahul Gandhi in the well of the House after Birla got elected.

PM congratulated Birla on behalf of entire House.

"We are sure that you will guide our way for the next five years, and help us to conduct the sessions smoothly," said PM.

Around 11 am today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved a motion for the election of BJP MP Om Birla as the Speaker of Lok Sabha. Defense Minister seconded the motion by PM Modi.

Shiv Sena (UBT) member Arvind Sawant had moved motion to elect Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh as Lok Sabha Speaker.

Contrary to the convention, India witnessed an election for the Speaker’s post in the Lok Sabha for the fourth time in decades on Wednesday, June 26.

This comes after the NDA refused to give the Deputy Speaker’s post to the INDIA bloc, which called its demand a "convention." The BJP said that the Speaker, as per tradition, should be chosen unanimously and that the conditional support for their candidate from the Opposition did not “fit into any tradition of the Lok Sabha.”