Govt must offer Lok Sabha deputy speaker's post to opposition: Derek O'Brien

It is the government's duty to run Parliament smoothly and there should be no "bulldozing of bills" during the Budget session, TMC MP Derek O'Brien said on Saturday, reiterating the opposition's demand to appoint one of its members as the Lok Sabha deputy speaker. The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha was stormy with opposition INDIA bloc parties attacking the ruling BJP-led NDA over the NEET-UG paper leak row and the situation in Manipur among other issues. Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha saw multiple adjournments.

Parliament's Budget session will be held between July 22 and August 12.

"It is the government's duty to run Parliament smoothly in the Budget session. They must offer the deputy speaker (post) in the Lok Sabha to an INDIA candidate," O'Brien, a Rajya Sabha member, said in a post on X.


He also said that one notice from the opposition should be allowed every week in each of the Houses "to discuss issues of national importance (exam mess; unemployment), ensure no bulldozing of bills".

The INDIA bloc is pushing for a deputy speaker to be appointed from one of its constituents.

The opposition had also pushed for a rare contest for the Lok Sabha speaker's post by nominating Congress' K Suresh against BJP's Om Birla, even as it did not press for a division of votes.

The name of Faizabad MP and Samajwadi Party leader Awadhesh Prasad has been suggested by the TMC for the post of deputy speaker, a demand that has been backed by some other parties as well.

The 17th Lok Sabha did not have a deputy speaker for its full term.