CHENNAI: P Dhanapal will be taking charge as Speaker of the 15th Assembly today (June 3). Dhanpal is the first to be elected to the coveted post for a second consecutive term since 1952.
Similarly, Pollachi V Jayaraman will be taking charge as the Deputy Speaker of the House. He is the second person to be elected to the post for a second consecutive term since 1952. Earlier, B Bakthavatsalu Naidu was Deputy Speaker for two successive Assemblies during 1952-57 and 1957-1962.
Both Dhanapal and Jayaraman filed their nomination papers on Thursday before Assembly Secretary A M P Jamaludeen.
As there was no other nomination for these posts, they would be declared elected unanimously. Meanwhile, the Assembly Secretariat will be issuing a notification on the appointment of DMK treasurer M K Stalin as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly on Thursday.
Pro-tem Speaker S Semmalai will announce the election of Dhanapal in the House.
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Stalin will lead the new Speaker to his chair in the State Assembly and leaders of various parties will greet Dhanapal and his deputy.
Regarding the Rajya Sabha elections, the four AIADMK nominees and two DMK nominees who have filed their nominations will be declared elected unopposed as the number of vacancies (six) and the number of nominations filed were equal.
Setting a record
Dhanpal will be the first to be elected to the Speaker’s post for a second consecutive term since 1952. Jayaraman, his deputy, will be the second person to get a consecutive term to his post.