Who is Bhartruhari Mahtab? BJP MP assumes role of pro-tem Speaker in 18th Lok Sabha

In the procedural hierarchy of the Lok Sabha, the pro-tem Speaker assumes duties temporarily until a permanent Speaker is elected through a majority vote. Their primary responsibility includes administering oaths to newly elected MPs, ensuring the smooth commencement of parliamentary proceedings.

Team Asianet Newsable

Updated: Jun 24, 2024, 1:18 PM IST

BJP leader and seven-time Member of Parliament Bhartruhari Mahtab on Monday (June 24) took oath as the pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. The oath ceremony was administered by President Droupadi Murmu, marking the beginning of his temporary tenure in this crucial role.

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Mahtab's appointment comes amid his recent switch from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to BJP in March this year, alongside other notable political figures like Sidhant Mohapatra and Padma Shri Damayanti Beshra.

His electoral victory from the Cuttack Parliamentary constituency in the 2024 polls, defeating BJD's Santrupt Misra by a significant margin of over 57,000 votes, solidifies his political standing in Odisha.

Previously representing Cuttack six times under the BJD banner and now securing his seventh term under BJP, Mahtab's political career spans decades, marked by consistent electoral successes. In the 2019 elections, he won with a margin of over one lakh votes against BJP's Prakash Misra.

According to data from the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Mahtab has declared total assets amounting to Rs 19 crore, reflecting a substantial increase from his declared assets of Rs nine crore in 2019.

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Mahtab's lineage adds a historical context to his political stature, being the son of Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab, a revered figure in Odisha politics who served as the state's Chief Minister twice and earned the title "Utkal Keshari".

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