Speaker will vote with government in the event of a tie, says former Speaker Sangma

New Delhi, July 21 : Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Purno A Sangma today said that incumbent Speaker Somnath Chatterjee would vote in favour of the UPA Government in the event of a tie during the trust vote.

Praising Chatterjee for remaining firm about not stepping down from his post inspite of the pressure mounted on him by his party, the CPI(M), Sangma said: "The Speaker should uphold the dignity of the post. He is right in not resigning as the Speaker does not belong to any political party,"

When asked what the Speaker should do in case there is a tie in the trust vote, Sangma said, "Normally, the Speaker votes to save the government. This is the convention internationally. But this is not binding on the Speaker."

The debate on the trust vote began on Monday and the voting is likely to take place on Tuesday evening.

ANI