High drama over ‘acting’ Speaker at Haryana assembly inaugural session
Bharat Bhushan Batra of Congress, backed by former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, voiced his disapproval to addressing party’s Raghuvir Singh Kadian, 80, as acting instead of pro-tem Speaker.
The inaugural sitting of the newly elected Haryana legislative assembly began with unexpected drama on Friday when Congress members ambushed the ruling BJP and objected to Raghuvir Singh Kadian being addressed as acting Speaker instead of pro-tem Speaker.
Immediately after Kadian, 80, assumed the Speaker’s seat, Bharat Bhushan Batra of the Congress voiced his disapproval to addressing Kadian, seven-time party MLA, as acting Speaker. He, instead, reiterated that Kadian should be called pro-tem Speaker.
Rohtal MLA Batra argued that the term pro-tem holds constitutional significance, emphasising its temporary and specific role until the Speaker of the assembly is elected.
“Addressing him (Kadian) acting Speaker is not only erroneous but also an insult to the legislature,” Batra said asking under which rule the government has decided to address Kadian as ‘acting’ speaker.
Batra was backed by former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who said the term acting Speaker reflected a lack of attention to procedural accuracy. “Referring to you as acting Speaker instead of pro-tem Speaker is an insult to the Chair,” Hooda said, demanding the clerical error be rectified.
Harayana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the term acting Speaker had been used both in the 2005 and 2009 inaugural sessions. Aiming to defuse the issue, Saini indicated that the choice of words was neither unprecedented nor incorrect by past standards.
“If the illegality was committed once it does not mean that it should be continued,” Batra replied to Saini.
On the other hand, Hooda argued that if incorrect terminology was used in 2009 it should have been pointed out then.
Kadian endorsed the contentions of Batra and Hooda. “The term pro-tem means the Speaker for the day, while acting Speaker means something else,” said Kadian.
Finally, chief minister Saini said that correction will be carried out in the records since 2005.
At this Kadian said: “The sense of the House is approved.”