Will run House impartially and by taking everyone along: LS Speaker

New Delhi: Newly elected Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said he will run the House in an impartial manner by taking everyone along, while asserting that the chair should not be biased.

Addressing the House after being unanimously elected as the speaker, Birla assured the members that he will preside over the proceedings in accordance with rules and regulations, and “safeguard the interests of the members irrespective of the strength of their parties in the House”.

The speaker assured the Lok Sabha members that he will remain fair and unbiased.

“I will strive to provide equal opportunities to each and every member irrespective of their political affiliation or size of their respective parties,” Birla said.

The speaker further said, “Will work by taking everyone together, gaining everyone’s trust. To maintain the dignity of the constitutional post, the speaker should be unbiased, and must also appear unbiased in conduct.”

Everyone should be heard and the government should respond to them, he added.

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for running a transparent government, the speaker said he expects the “government to be more responsible and answerable in the House”.

Birla also thanked the prime minister, his party and all the other members of the House for putting their faith in him.

Seeking cooperation from all the members for a smooth functioning of the House, Birla said they should raise the questions and issues that come under the ambit of the central government.

“I have been a member like you from 2014 to 2019. And here, we should raise the issues which matter to the last person standing in the row,” he said.