U T Khader takes over as Assembly Speaker

BENGALURU: On the concluding day of the three-day Assembly session on Wednesday, Ullal MLA U T Khader was unanimously elected as Speaker of the Assembly. He is the first member from the Muslim community to hold the post of Speaker.

Leader of the House and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah proposed the name of U T Khader and it was seconded by Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.

Chief Minister and Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah had proposed the name of U T Khader for the post of Speaker and it was seconded by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. Khader was the lone candidate who had filed his nomination for the post.

Assembly Speaker U T Khader listening intently to the members speaking in the House.

After Khader formally took over as Speaker from pro-tem Speaker R V Deshpande, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, speaking in the Assembly, recalled that Khader comes from a political family and that his father U T Fareed was also a lawmaker. Khader himself has been a five-time MLA and a minister in the previous Congress government. He also said the Speaker should conduct the House in an unbiased manner.

“There are old and new members of the House. The state is facing numerous problems and law and order have to be maintained and the interests of seven crore Kannadigas have to be protected. If there is no law and order, there won’t be investments or jobs. One is related to the other and the House should discuss all these issues seriously. Discussions should be healthy and the House should come up with innovative suggestions”, the CM said.

Former CM Basavaraj Bommai speaking in the Assembly on Wednesday after U T Khader’s election as Speaker.

Former BJP Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai also advised the new Speaker to conduct the proceedings in an unbiased manner. “We are on this side and people close to you are on the other side. Many new members have been elected and they should be given more opportunities”, he suggested.