Former minister of state in the Narendra Modi Cabinet, Virendra Kumar, will be the protem speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha. The seven-time Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP had defeated Congress leader Ahirwar Kiran from Madhya Pradesh's Tikamgarh Lok Sabha seat. Tikamgarh went to the polls on Phase 5 on Monday, May 6, 2019.
As the interim speaker, Kumar will administer the oath of office to the newly elected Lok Sabha MPs at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He will also preside over the first meeting of the Lok Sabha, in which the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be elected on June 19. The first session of 17th Lok Sabha will commence on June 17.
The 63-year-old served as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development from September 2017 to May 2019.
Kumar started his carrier with the student wing of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Sagar in Madhya Pradesh. Back in 1996, he was given the party ticket from Sagar Lok Sabha constituency.
President Ram Nath Kovind will address the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in the Central Hall at 11 am on June 20.
The Modi-led NDA government will present its first Budget on July 5. Also, the Parliament session will continue until July 26.
