Meira Kumar elected LS Speaker, scripts history

New Delhi, June 3 (PTI) Meira Kumar Wednesday made
history in the Indian Lok Sabha when she was unanimously
elected its Speaker and thus became the first woman to occupy
one of the high Constitutional posts.

64-year-old Kumar, Congress' dalit face, a former
foreign service official and Union Minister, was elected after
a resolution moved by ruling UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and
seconded by Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee was approved
by a voice vote amidst thumping of deks by the entire House.

Kumar, elected from Sasaram in eastern state Bihar in
the recent elections, is the daughter of the late Jagjivan
Ram.

Ealier, leaders cutting across the political spectrum,
including L K Advani (BJP), Mamata Banerjee (Trinamool
Congress), T R Baalu (DMK), Arjun Charan Sethi BJD), Sharad
Yadav (JD-U), Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Lalu Prasad (RJD), Ram
Sundar Das (JD-U), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Farooq Abdullah (NC)
and E Ahmed (Muslim League) also tabled their motions
proposing Kumar for the post.

After Gandhi's motion was approved by a voice vote,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mukherjee and Advani escorted
Kumar, who was sitting in the front benches, to the Speaker's
Chair.

After Kumar took the Chair, Singh hailed her election as
a historic moment and said her services as a distinguished
diplomat, 25 years in Parliament and her role as a Minister
would stand her in good stead to execute her onerous job
well.

Recalling his association with Kumar's father, late
Jagjivan Ram, the Prime Minister said he had several occasions
to interact with the former Deputy Prime Minister whose
"wisdom, knowledge and experience were great assets of the
government."

"You are embodiment of the same qualities of head and
heart. You have a distinguished record -- as a diplomat, as a
Parliamentarian for 25 years and as minister in the government
of India," he said, adding she was the embodiment of "charm,
grace and tact."

The Prime Minister assured her the government's
fullest cooperation in discharge of her duties.

"I salute you. I congratulate you for your unanimous
election," Singh said.

Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee shared the Prime
Minister's views that Kumar's experience as a diplomat, as a
political organiser as also administrator in the government
and a long stint in Parliament will help her discharge the
responsibility bestowed on her.

"I know this is not an easy task. Collectively, we can
help you in smooth running of Parliament but handful of us can
cause problems," he said.

With acrimony in the previous Lok Sabha weighing heavily
on his mind, Mukherjee, who was also Leader of that House,
wanted the new House to create a precedent -- not of
obstruction and disruption but of debate and discussion.

Noting that Parliament was a temple of democracy, he said
only recently a "festival" was witnessed in which 700 million
people elected their representatives.

Mukherjee recalled that Speakers from G V Mavlankar to
Somnath Chatterjee had a unique record of impartiality,
judiciousness and taking correct decisions at correct times
and hoped that Kumar will continue the tradition.PTI