Meira occupies chair used by her father as pro-tem speaker

New Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday occupied the chair used 25 years ago by her father Jagjivan Ram as the pro-tem Speaker.

New Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday occupied the chair used 25 years ago by her father Jagjivan Ram as the pro-tem Speaker.

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The Dalit leader, who was also the deputy prime minister, became the pro-tem speaker in the 7th and 8th Lok Sabha in 1980 and 1984 respectively.

The pro-tem speaker, appointed by the president, is the senior most lawmaker in the Lok Sabha and remains in office till the new House elects its speaker.

The former deputy prime minister in Morarji Desai's Janata Party regime was an MP for 40 years till he died in 1986.

Twenty-five years down the line Kumar, the Congress MP from Sasaram in Bihar, not only became the custodian of the Lok Sabha but the first woman presiding officer of the House.