KOTA/BUNDI: An indication of a “live and thriving democracy” is how Om Birla described the rare election to the post of Lok Sabha speaker, which he won in a voice vote against opposition candidate K Suresh.The opposition had pushed for the poll by nominating Congress’ Suresh against BJP’s Birla, even as it did not press for a division of votes.In an interview with PTI, Birla took a dim view of disruptions in the Lok Sabha during its first session after the formation of the new government and said there has to be a difference between debates in Parliament and those on the streets.On radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and terror funding case accused Engineer Rashid being elected to the House as Independents from Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib and J-K’s Baramulla while in jail, the Lok Sabha speaker said the two members have been chosen by the people.”They have been chosen by the people and administered the oath as per the rules of procedure (of the Lok Sabha) and on orders of the courts,” Birla told PTI while on a visit to his Kota parliamentary constituency in Rajasthan.Asked about the rare election to the post of Lok Sabha speaker, Birla said, “These are signs of a live and thriving democracy.”The previous election for the post took place in 1976.The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha from June 24 to July 3 witnessed tumultuous scenes with opposition members trooping into the Well of the House and raising slogans throughout Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s over two-hour reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.Opposition INDIA bloc parties attacked the BJP-led NDA over the NEET-UG paper leak row and the situation in Manipur among other issues. Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha saw multiple adjournments.Birla said that “agreements and disagreements are part of democracy.”
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