Former urban development minister Kamal Nath will be the pro tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The government has made a recommendation to President Pranab Mukherjee to this effect, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday. Naidu, who was talking to the media after assuming charge of the ministry, said the government will take a call on the schedule of the impending session of Parliament in the forenoon Thursday. “We wou-ld follow a three-D policy, implying discuss, debate and decide, and hope the opposition would facilitate a smooth conduct of business. I want to assure them (opposition) that our leadership is committed to discussions on all issues,” he said. When asked if he favoured the idea of at least 100 sittings of Parliament in a single year, Naidu said, “The idea is good, but we have to see that has been the practice so far.” Sources said the government has the option of either having a short session of some seven working days, followed by a longer spell later or having a single session. Whatever be the case, the vote-on-account has to be adopted by July 31.
