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| Governor MK Narayanan (left) conducts the oath-taking ceremony of Sohanpal, who was sworn in pro tem Speaker on Wednesday |
2001: Gyan Singh Sohanpal takes over as pro tem Speaker. Later, administers the oath of office to the CPM’s Hashim Abdul Halim as Speaker.
2006: Sohanpal takes over as pro tem Speaker. Later, administers the oath of office to the CPM’s Halim.
2011: Sohanpal is again pro tem Speaker...
Whoever he may usher in as Speaker, he or she won’t be from the CPM.
The 87-year-old Congress leader was sworn in pro tem Speaker today for the third time in a row. But the veteran will this time get the opportunity to administer the oath of office to a person from his side of the aisle in the House.
With the Congress-Trinamul alliance uprooting the Left after 34 years, a leader from the combine will become Speaker.
Governor M.K. Narayanan today ushered in Sohanpal as pro tem Speaker of the newly constituted 15th Bengal Legislative Assembly at Raj Bhavan’s Throne Room. Usually, the eldest member of the House is made pro tem Speaker.
Affectionately called chacha in Congress circles, Sohanpal, however, did not find anything special in the ritual this time.
“The governor today appointed me pro tem Speaker. So I will have to fulfil my constitutional obligation by administering the oath of office to a newly elected MLA from the Trinamul Congress as Speaker since the party has absolute majority in the House. There is nothing special in me doing my job as pro tem Speaker,” he said.
Article 180 of the Constitution says: “While the office of Speaker is vacant, the duties of the office shall be performed by the Deputy Speaker or, if the office of Deputy Speaker is also vacant, by such member of the Assembly as the Governor may appoint for the purpose.”
A Raj Bhavan official said that “according to convention, the senior-most member of the Assembly is appointed pro tem Speaker”.
Halim, the outgoing Speaker, recounted that the late Benoy Chowdhury had administered his oath of office in 1977. “In 2001 and 2006, Sohanpal had administered the oath of office to me,” he added.
Halim said he would remain Speaker till “the first bell of the new House rings”.
