Uttarakhand

• 15 Mar 2022

Banshidhar Bhagat: Protem Speaker

Why in News

On March 14, 2022, Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (SEN) dissolved the fourth assembly and appointed newly elected MLA and former cabinet minister Banshidhar Bhagat as the pro tem speaker of the fifth elected assembly.

Key Points

• The Governor has appointed Banshidhar Bhagat as Pro-tem Speaker under Article 180(1) of the Constitution.
• Pro-tem Speaker Banshidhar Bhagat will administer the oath to the newly elected MLAs of the new assembly and will continue as Speaker till a new Speaker is elected from amongst the elected members of the House.
• It is noteworthy that senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Banshidhar Bhagat has been elected MLA from Kaladhungi and has become an MLA for the seventh time.
• Banshidhar Bhagat will be the sixth pro-tem speaker of the state. For the first time in 1991, he became an MLA from Nainital in the undivided Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
• Banshidhar Bhagat had taken charge as Minister of State for Food and Logistics, Minister of Hill Development and Minister of State for Forests in the Government of Uttar Pradesh.