Sandhwan unanimously elected Punjab assembly speaker

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann proposed the Kotkapura MLA Sandhwan’s name for the post and cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema seconded it

Chandigarh: Two-time Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Kultar Singh Sandhwan, 46, was unanimously elected the Punjab assembly speaker on Monday.

Kultar Singh Sandhwan with his family members after being elected as the Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker in Chandigarh on Monday. (Ravi Kumar/HT)

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann proposed the Kotkapura MLA’s name for the post and cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema seconded it. Both Mann and Cheema escorted Sandhwan to the speaker’s chair after he was unanimously elected by the House. Sandhwan, grandnephew of former President Giani Zail Singh, succeeds former speaker Rana Kanwar Pal Singh of the Congress. Sandhwan’s grandfather Jangir Singh and Zail Singh were brothers.

Congratulating Mann on his election, Mann said he was happy that a person from an ordinary family had made it to the speaker’s post.

“I hope you will give equal opportunity to everyone,” Mann said. He also assured the members that all efforts will be made to ensure that the assembly proceedings are live-streamed. “Audio and video proceedings will be provided to them (members) and mediapersons,” he said, expressing hope that the opposition will play a constructive role in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, a model House for the rest of the country.

The chief minister said that there were instances when members were victimised by using the privilege motion for recording the proceedings, calling it a violation of the right of freedom of the members. The speaker’s election was also live-streamed.

“You performed your duty in the opposition very well, too. I hope you will give equal opportunities to the opposition members to raise issues of public interest in the House,” one of them said.

The opposition members welcomed the CM’s decision to telecast the assembly proceedings live, assuring that they will play a constructive role in the House. Khaira and Partap Bajwa urged the speaker to extend the duration of the assembly sessions to enable the members to raise issues of their respective constituencies. “The framers of the Constitution had envisaged that the state assemblies will meet for 100 to 125 days each year,” Partap Bajwa said, adding, “The assembly proceedings will provide an opportunity to members to gain experience”. AAP MLA Aman Arora expressed confidence that the speaker will give equal opportunities to everyone in the House.

Cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer also stressed the need to maintain decorum in the House, urging the members not to use objectionable language and make any personal remarks against anyone in the House so as to make the Punjab assembly a model for everyone. Sandhwan thanked the members for his unanimous election. “This is the first time that an MLA from the Malwa region has become the speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha,” he said, thanking Mann and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal for giving him the responsibility. Protem speaker Inderbir Singh Nijjar conducted the speaker’s election. He also administered oath to BJP MLAs Jangi Lal and Ashwani Sharma as MLA at the start of the day’s proceedings.