How pending oath of seven MPs could impact Lok Sabha Speaker election

The Lok Sabha Speaker election is set to take place today, June 26. However, a notable issue has arisen as seven members of Parliament- five from the Opposition and two independents- have not yet taken their oath. This situation will prevent these MPs from participating in the election, potentially weakening the Opposition's influence in Parliament, reported NDTV, citing sources.

The absence of these MPs could significantly impact the balance of power during the Speaker's election, highlighting the importance of full participation in parliamentary processes.

Among the distinguished names from the Opposition yet to take the oath are Congress's Shashi Tharoor and Trinamool Congress's actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha. Other MPs in the same situation include Deepak Adhikari and Nurul Islam of Trinamool Congress, Afzhal Ansari of the Samajwadi Party, and two independent MPs. The reasons behind the delay in their oath-taking have not been disclosed.

Also Read: Lok Sabha Speaker poll: Om Birla vs K Suresh; key points

Afzhal Ansari, an elder brother of criminal-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, is also on this list. Recently sentenced to four years in prison, his jail term was temporarily suspended by the Allahabad High Court ahead of the election. The case will resume in July. If his sentence is upheld, Afzhal Ansari may lose his parliamentary membership.

Impact of missing oath

Victory in the Speaker election is determined by the number of MPs present and voting. The absence of these seven MPs would decrease the total count and, consequently, the majority threshold. Though the Opposition secured 232 seats, the absence of five MPs would reduce its number to 227, provided all remaining members turn up to vote. This adjustment would set the majority mark at 269.

On the other hand, the NDA holds 293 MPs and is also expected to gain the support of YS Jaganmohan Reddy's YSR Congress's four MPs, reported NDTV. The YSR Congress, previously lending issue-based support to the government, maintains this stance despite its electoral setback against BJP ally Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party.

Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which had lent conditional support to the government, has retracted its support following its electoral defeat in Odisha’s assembly elections. Nonetheless, the BJP, which has enough MPs to ensure the victory of its candidate Om Birla—running for a second term as Speaker against Opposition candidate K Suresh—focuses on the optics of the situation.

The BJP is aiming to surpass the psychologically significant mark of 300 seats by working to secure the support of Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the Akali Dal, Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad, and Shillong MP Ricky Andrew Syngkon.

The BJP's dependence on its allies contrasts with previous majorities secured in 2014 and 2019. Currently reliant on Naidu's TDP and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United to stay above the halfway mark, achieving a decisive victory in the Speaker election could significantly boost the party's morale.