Pro-tem Lok Sabha Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Ever since the results of the 18th Lok Sabha elections were announced on June 4, there has been quite the buzz surrounding the formation of new government. This marked the first time that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to secure absolute majority in the Parliament after coming into power in 2014, forcing the saffron party to take help from their National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies to form the government at the Centre.
Therefore, it goes without saying, that there is a lot of intrigue regarding the appointment of the new Speaker of the Lok Sabha - the presiding officer and highest authority in the Parliament. Before the all-important election of the Lok Sabha speaker takes place on June 26, President Droupadi Murmu appointedBhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
It is the duty of the pro-tem Speaker to administer the oath of office to the newly-elected MPs when the new Lok Sabha session begins on June 24.
But what is the political background of Bhartruhari Mahtab? Let's take look.
Who is Bhartruhari Mahtab?
Born on September 8, 1957, Bhartruhari Mahtab is the son of late Dr Harekrushna Mahatab.
Mahtab is a well-known politician from the state of Odisha and an MP representing the Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency. He won the seat with a margin of more than 57,000 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and he has been elected MP as many as seven times.
Political background
Bhartruhari Mahtab was a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and had represented the Naveen Patnaik-led party in his previous stints as Cuttack MP. However, he resigned from the BJD to switch to the BJP on March 28, 2024, just before this year's Lok Sabha elections.
He was first elected as MP from Cuttack in 1998, and was re-elected every term thereafter- in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, and finally in 2024 (this time representing the BJP). He was conferred with the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award 2017.
While administering the oath of office to the new MPs in Parliament, Mahtab will be assisted by a panel of chairpersons - namely, Congress leader Kodikunnil Suresh, DMK leader T R Baalu, BJP members Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste and TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadyay.
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