Govt likely to appoint deputy Speaker

The government, if wants some time in deciding the new candidate, may leave up to the Speaker Panel to look after the proceedings. But this panel can run the show not more than couple of days.

“If the government wants to appoint new deputy Speaker, the names from both ruling and governing parties should come to Assembly secretary by Saturday noon,” said an official from legislative Assembly. The sources maintained that government has initiated process to submit the names.

At present, the Speaker Panel is consist of five members — three from the BJP and two from the Congress. Nimaben Aacharya, Mahendra Mashroo and Ishwar Patel are from the BJP and Maanshinh Chauhan and Anil Joshiyara represent the Congress in this panel.

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One of the members from this panel, very likely from the BJP, will be acting as temporary Speaker on the first day of budget session and that members will propose election of new deputy Speaker.

Mangubhai Patel was the last deputy Speaker. However, the post has been vacant since November 2014, after Patel was made forest and environment minister replacing Vasava. Vasava in turn was made the Speaker after his predecessor Vajubhai Vala was appointed Karnataka Governor by the Union Government. This is the second term for Vasava, who earlier has served for a year as Speaker from 2011.

Opposition Congress, which will also make a bid for the deputy Speaker post, is set to raise the issue of Swine flu in the Budget session. In this year till Friday, 186 deaths due to Swine flu have been reported in the state.