Eight-time MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain took oath as Pro-tem Speaker of the Odisha assembly in Bhubaneswar on Friday. A Pro-tem speaker is appointed temporarily to conduct proceedings in the parliament or state legislature. According to a report by PTI, Swain, a former minister and lawmaker from the Athagarh assembly segment in Cuttack district, was appointed as a Pro-tem Speaker by Governor Raghubar Das. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was also present at the Raj Bhavan when Swain took the oath.
#WATCH | BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain takes oath as the Pro-tem Speaker of the Odisha Assembly.
CM Mohan Charan Majhi and Governor Raghubar Das were also present.
(Source: I&PR Odisha) pic.twitter.com/732DOaPUTP
— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2024
“I was appointed as the Pro-tem Speaker on the recommendation of the CM,” said Swain, as per PTI. The report also says that he will administer oaths to the newly elected MLAs on June 18 and 19 and will also conduct the election for [the] appointment of a regular Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly on June 20.
BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain while speaking to ANI said, “I am thankful to the present CM and the former CM… I wish I would be able to carry out the burden that has been given to me…”
#WATCH | Bhubaneswar, Odisha: BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain says, “I am thankful to the present CM and the former CM… I wish I would be able to carry out the burden that has been given to me…” https://t.co/VgAUWFzVgv pic.twitter.com/LeqdvLVPH2
— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2024
Since 1990, the 70-year-old MLA has been representing the Athagarh Assembly constituency Cuttack district. According to KalingaTV, Swain defeated Abhaya Kumar Barik of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with a margin of 3584 votes.
PTI reported sources as mentioning that senior BJP leader Surama Padhy is tipped to be the next Speaker of the Odisha assembly.
The appointment of a Pro-tem speaker is covered in Article 180(1) of the Constitution, which provides that when the Speaker or Deputy Speaker positions are vacant, the duties of the Office should be performed by ‘such member of the Assembly as the Governor may appoint for the purpose.’
The BJP ended the 24-year rule of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after winning 78 seats in the Assembly elections.
