Division of votes not being allowed in speaker's election shows govt did not have numbers: TMC

 

TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said on Wednesday that the pro-tem speaker did not allow voting in the election for the Lok Sabha speaker even as several opposition MPs sought a division of votes, adding that it showed the government did not have the numbers.

He told reporters outside Parliament that, according to the rules, division of votes has to be allowed even if a single member demands it.

“The rule says that if any member of the House asks for division, the pro-tem speaker has to allow it. You can clearly see and hear from the footage of the Lok Sabha that several members of the opposition sought and asked for a division,” Banerjee said.

“The motion was adopted without putting it to vote. This is a clear testament to the fact that the ruling dispensation, the BJP, does not have the numbers … This government is running without the numbers. It’s illegal, immoral, unethical and unconstitutional and the people of the country have already shown them the door. It’s just a matter of time before they’re shown the door again,” the Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP said.

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Om Birla was elected Lok Sabha speaker after a motion moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was adopted through voice vote, capping intense debate on the issue with the opposition in a rare move proposing its own candidate.

Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab made the announcement after the opposition, which had forwarded the name of eight-term Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh as its candidate, did not press for votes to the motion.

Responding to a question that the opposition did not press for a division of votes, Banerjee said, “The question is not about how strongly the division (of votes) was sought. The rule says that even if one out of 500 people ask for division, it has to be allowed.”

“Only the pro-tem speaker can clarify why the division wasn’t allowed. He was sitting in the chair and hence he can answer,” he added.

Another TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee also said the speaker’s election was not conducted in accordance with the law.

“When the motion was put to voice vote, several members sought a division but the pro-tem speaker did not allow it. The division was not allowed because the NDA did not have enough numbers,” he said.

TMC MP Kirti Azad said at least eight opposition members had sought a division.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, however, said the opposition parties did not press for division, keeping with the tradition of not holding elections for the speaker’s post.

“This was a symbolic contest. We followed tradition and did not let the election happen. But we gave a message that a strong opposition and a strong leader of opposition are there,” he said.

Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan, however, said the opposition did not press for division as they lacked the numbers.

“The NDA is strong, the opposition should be scared because their MPs, who are in touch with us, might have voted in favour of Om Birla if there was division,” Paswan said.