Call for Restoration: Kharge Urges Modi to Address Deputy Speaker Vacancy

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for the immediate appointment of a Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He emphasized that the ongoing vacancy contravenes the constitutional framework and sets a concerning precedent for India's democratic structure.

Historically, the Deputy Speaker is chosen from the primary opposition party, but for the first time in independent India's history, the role has been unfilled for two consecutive Lok Sabha terms. Kharge pointed out that the position remained vacant throughout the seventeenth Lok Sabha and continues to be so during the eighteenth.

Kharge's appeal comes as Parliament gears up for its Monsoon session on July 21, stressing the urgency of resolving this issue to uphold democratic practices and constitutional provisions.

(With inputs from agencies.)