NDA candidate Om Birla was declared Lok Sabha Speaker for a second time, defeating INDIA bloc candidate Kodikunnil Suresh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved the motion to elect Birla while the opposition moved the motion to elect Suresh. The house adopted Modi's motion with a voice vote.
PM Modi, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accompanied Birla to the Chair after his re-election.
Modi hails Birla's chairmanship
Congratulating Birla, Modi said, "Respected Speaker, it is the good fortune of the House that you are occupying this chair for the second time. I congratulate you and the entire House"
It is a huge responsibility for you to sit on this post for the second time, Modi said.
“With your experience, we hope that you will guide us for the next 5 years. Becoming the Speaker for the second time is a record in itself. Balram Jakhar got the opportunity to serve as the Speaker for the second term after competing 5 years and today you are doing the same,” the PM added.
"The works that didn't happen during 70 years of independence, were made possible by this House under your chairmanship,” Modi said, adding, “Several milestones come in the long journey of democracy. A few occasions are such when we receive the opportunity to establish milestones. I am very confident that the country will be proud of the achievements of the 17th Lok Sabha."
Birla's rare achievement
With his election to the post, Birla achieves the rare distinction to be the Speaker of Lok Sabha for second term. Since Independence, only M.A. Ayyangar, G.S. Dhillon, Balram Jakhar and G.M.C. Balayogi have retained the post in the subsequent Lok Sabhas. Jakhar was the Speaker of the seventh and the eighth Lok Sabhas and holds the distinction of being the only presiding officer to complete two full terms.
While polls to the Speaker's post were common before Independence, the position has witnessed contests only thrice in Independent India—1952, 1967 and 1976.
