Gangtok: Arun Kumar Upreti was elected as the new Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly on Monday.
Upreti, the legislator from the Arithang constituency in Gangtok district, secured 30 votes from 31 legislators in attendance, except Pawan Kumar Chamling, who was marked absent. The motion for the election of the Speaker was laid out before the House by Deputy Speaker Sangay Lepcha.
Upreti’s nomination was proposed by Rural Development Minister Sonam Lama and seconded by Soreng-Chakung constituency legislator Aditya Golay. Following the resignation of former speaker LB Das on August 16, Upreti is now the 11th speaker of the State Legislative Assembly.
In his first address as the Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, Upreti stated, “I express my gratitude to the Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay and members of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly for electing me as the Speaker. I reaffirm to carry out my duty with sincerity working within the framework of the Indian Constitution. I shall extend my support to maintain the dignity and decorum of the House. I shall preserve the parliamentary democracy of the State. I would like to extend my gratitude to the leader of the House for guiding me.”
In his first order of business, Upreti read out the obituary reference for former legislator Late Tasa Tengay Lepcha from Chungthang under Lachen-Mangan constituency. Lepcha expired in June earlier this year. Lepcha had served as the legislator for two terms. He was the first legislator from then Lachen-Mangshila constituency in the first Assembly.
Thereafter, in the legislative business, Upreti asked for the introduction of bills from the legislators in attendance. Collectively, 12 bills were tabled out of which nine were Amendment Bills and three were new bills were introduced.
The tabling of the bills was followed by financial business, which included the presentation of the first supplementary demands for grants 2022-23 that was tabled by Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay as the minister in-charge of the State Finance Department.
“Being elected as a speaker feels like a dream. There was a time when I used to go to assembly as an audience and the people of Arithang constituency elected me to represent them in the Assembly. Today, being a speaker of the Assembly and seeing all the legislators in attendance, I was even surprised for a moment. Maybe it has been my true service, which has aided me to reach the position of the Speaker. I will always be loyal to the leader and party and will not diminish my service towards my constituency Arithang. I would like to appeal to the people that being a speaker I am now more enthusiastic to work for the people of my constituency.”
Earlier in the day, Upreti walked almost 500-meters uphill from his residence in Deorali to the Sikkim Legislative Assembly in Nam Nang along with his supporters who cheered him for filing his nomination as the Speaker.
Upreti stated, “Public wanted to accompany me till the Assembly premises hence they assembled in Deorali. Seeing the large assembly of people, I broke down. It was tears of happiness. Today was the day when I realised how much I have touched the lives of the people.”
On being asked on how he will manage being unbiased as a speaker and secretary general of the SKM party, Upreti said, “I will consult on the legal proceeding with legal experts. Any speaker will be a legislator from a certain party; I will have to keep in touch with the party workers. But when I enter the Assembly, henceforth, I will not be part of any political party. I will remain unbiased and see everyone equally. But outside of the Assembly, I will be working for the party.”
On Chamling’s absence in the voting, Upreti stated, “He is never present in the Assembly proceedings. So him voting or not voting, I have no comments to make about it.”
Also read | Sikkim: Arun Upreti files nomination for post of assembly speaker