Om Birla elected Speaker of 18th Lok Sabha

The Lower House of Parliament re-elected Om Birla as Lok Sabha Speaker by voice vote on Wednesday, 26 June. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Birla, expressing confidence that he will guide parliamentarians and play a big role in fulfilling people's expectations.

Modi as well as minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju were joined by the Rahul Gandhi, in his capacity as Leader of the Opposition, in escorting Birla, the BJP MP from Kota, to the Speaker's chair, in a rare moment of bi-partisan grace and dignity, after a day of rancour between the ruling alliance and the opposition parties over the poll.

Modi said Birla had presided over a golden era of the Lok Sabha, as a number of "historic decisions" were taken during its previous term.

Noting that he is the first Speaker after Balram Jakhar, who was in the chair between 1980 and 1989, to get a second term after having served the full tenure, the prime minister expressed confidence that he would continue to create new benchmarks for the role.

The prime minister praised the Kota MP's welfare work for his constituency as well, saying it should inspire young parliamentarians.