Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury writes to Om Birla for early appointment of Deputy Speaker

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhury on Wednesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for early appointment of Deputy Speaker of the House.

In a letter, Chowdhury said Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha should be appointed either by election or consensus after a new Lok Sabha is constituted. "Already a year has been elapsed but still the Lok Sabha is deprived of having a Deputy Speaker," he said.

Chowdhury said Rajya Sabha is "on the verge of" electing Deputy Chairman of the Upper House and "it is an opportune moment to elect the Deputy Speaker of the lower house".

He said that by convention, the post of the deputy speaker is offered to the opposition party.

The Congress leader said that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha are regarded as the presiding officer and vice presiding officer of the House.

The monsoon session of parliament will begin on September 14 with restrictions in place due to COVID-19. The election of Rajay Sabha Deputy Chairman is slated to take place on September 14.

( With inputs from ANI )