Santosh Gangwar likely to be pro-tem Speaker

New Delhi, May 28: Union Minister and BJP leader, Santosh Gangwar is likely to be the pro-tem Speaker in the new Lok Sabha. The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha would commence on June 6 and go on till June 15 2019.

Gangwar is the senior most MP and was elected for the 8th term from the Bareilly constituency in Uttar Pradesh. He has been a Lok Sabha member from 1989 for six consecutive terms. He had lost the elections in 2009, but returned as MP in the 2014 elections.

While Maneka Gandhi too is an 8 time MP, Gangwar pips her in seniority. She fought her first Lok Sabha elections in 1989. Since the 1996 elections, she has won every Lok Sabha poll since then.

The pro-tem Speaker performs the duties of a Speaker from the date of commencement of the House. The first two days would witness the newly elected Lok Sabha members taking oath.

The election of a new Speaker is expected to take place on June 10 and President Ram Nath Kovind is expected to address a joint house of Parliament. The budget session is expected to be held in July.