New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday appointed BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. The appointment of Mehtab was done by President Murmu as a pro-tem Speaker under Article 95(1) of the Constitution.

Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sudip Bandyopadhyay were appointed to aid the Speaker Protem during the oath-taking of the newly-elected members.

According to Article 94 of the Constitution, the office of the speaker becomes vacant immediately before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha. In that case, the President appoints a Member of the House as Speaker pro tem to perform the duties of the Speaker.

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha is scheduled to begin on June 24 while the Rajya Sabha session will begin on June 27. 

Who Is Bhartruhari Mahtab?

Bhartruhari Mahtab switched from Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to BJP just a few days before the Lok Sabha elections. He secured a seat from the Cuttack Parliamentary constituency and defeated BJD Santrupt Misra. Mahtab represented the same constituency earlier as a BJD leader and now as a BJP candidate.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Mahtab, contested from as BJD leader and won against BJP leader Prakash Misra. In 201, he was honoured with the Parliamentarian Award. He is the son of Dr Harekrushna Mahatab, who served as the Chief Minister of Odisha two times.