Bihar speaker VK Sinha resigns; deputy Narendra Narayan Yadav takes over

The ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government of the JD(U) and Rashtriya Janata Dal stuck with deputy speaker Maheshwar Hazari in the chair as is the norm

Bihar assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday resigned from his post amid huge political drama, not before triggering a controversy by nominating senior Janata Dal (United) leader Narendra Narayan Yadav to preside over the remaining part of the session instead of deputy speaker Maheshwar Hazari, as is the norm.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Kumar Sinha leaves from the Bihar legislative assembly after resigning as the speaker in Patna on Wednesday. (PTI Photo)

However, the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government of the JD(U) and Rashtriya Janata Dal stuck with Hazari in the chair, and called Sinha’s action unconstitutional. “It is also laid down in the Constitution,” Bihar parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar said.

The government immediately welcomed Hazari in the speaker’s chamber, and he will preside over the government’s trust vote in the second half of the session. Sinha’s resignation avoided the need for a discussion on a no-confidence motion against him.

In a quick turn of events, the government also called a cabinet meeting at 12.30 pm to apprise the Governor about the vacancy of speaker caused by Sinha’s resignation and the need to fill up the vacancy, besides extending the present session.

However, Yadav took the chair when the session resumed in the second half, but cited the constitutional provision which states that in the absence of the speaker, the deputy speaker should preside over the sessions. “The deputy speaker is present in the house and he will preside,” he said.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar personally greeted Hazari after he took over.

Before resigning, Sinha said he convened the assembly in an impartial fashion for 20 months with the cooperation of both the treasury and the opposition, making sure that the House arithmetic was not used to silence voices. “I hope the same continues, all members get equal opportunity, and dignity of the legislature and legislators is upheld,” he added.

Sinha said he would have resigned the day a new government was formed, but was not allowed the opportunity after the notice of his removal was served to the Vidhan Sabha secretariat.

“The notice seemed to have ignored rules, provisions and parliamentary decorum, and carried some baseless and unfortunate allegations against me of being undemocratic and dictatorial. Therefore, I wanted to present my viewpoint through facts in keeping with the highest parliamentary traditions and present my report card before you all, as the House collectively made it possible,” Sinha said.

Maintaining that in his short tenure, the House scripted several positive developments, he added, “Three big centenary events were held in which the President, Prime Minister and speaker participated, while the House sessions ran smoothly with 100% answers to questions and equal status to both treasury and opposition benches and above all, cooperation from both sides remained the high points until there was change of government due to change of equation. To usher in transparency, the proceedings were telecast live and honest efforts were made to protect the dignity of the legislature and the legislators. All this could not be termed undemocratic and dictatorial.”