Rajasthan gets first woman Speaker

Women continued to make history in Rajasthan with BJP’s senior MLA Sumitra Singh being elected the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha. The state’s first woman Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje proposed Singh’s name and it was unanimously accepted by the House. After the congratulatory moments, 73-year-old Singh got to business and indicated she would rule with an iron hand to uphold the ‘‘traditions of the House’’. Singh has been elected MLA from the Jhunjhunu district for the ninth time. But this is the first time that she has made it on a BJP ticket. — (ENS)