Virendra Kumar, a seventh-time BJP MP from Tikamgarh constituency in Madhya Pradesh and a former Union Minister, has been chosen to be the Protem Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Usually, the senior-most member of the House is chosen as Protem Speaker whose job is to oversee the oath taking by the newly-elected members and the election of a regular Speaker of the house.
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Kumar is likely to be administered the oath of office at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 17, the day the newly-elected Lok Sabha commences its first session. On the first two days, the new MPs will take an oath. The Election for the Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha is scheduled to be held on June 19.
Kumar was elected to 11th Lok Sabha for the first time in 1996 and became the member of Standing Committee on Labour and Welfare. Later he was re-elected to the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th Lok Sabha continuously. He had served as member and Chairmen of various committees.
He was also the Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs between September 2017 and May 2019.
The Election for the Speaker will be held on June 19.
Kumar, who holds a PhD in Child Labor, had started his political career in 1977 when he became the Convener of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (A.B.V.P.), District Sagar, Madhya Pradesh.
Kumar was also associated with RSS since childhood and served a prison sentence of 16 months under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) in protest against the imposition of Emergency.
He was elected to 11th Lok Sabha for the first time in 1996 and became the member of Standing Committee on Labour and Welfare.
Consecutively he was re-elected to the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th Lok Sabha continuously and served as the Member as well chairpersons of different committees.
Kumar was also the Union Minister of State, Ministry of Women and Child Development; and Ministry of Minority Affairs between September 2017 to May 2019.