In the Haryana Assembly on Friday, Congress MLA Bhupinder Singh Hooda raised objections to the use of the designation “Acting Speaker” instead of the traditional “pro tem Speaker,” which he said is customary for a temporary presiding officer. Hooda argued that this new terminology undermines the Speaker’s authority, stating, “This is the first time I’m hearing about an Acting Speaker… This is an insult to the Speaker’s chair, and it should be corrected.”
Responding to Hooda’s concerns, CM Nayab Singh Saini cited instances from Hooda’s own time in government when the term “Acting Speaker” was used, specifically on March 10, 2005, and October 26, 2009. Saini referred to these examples to show that the terminology had precedent.
Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Batra suggested that if the term “Acting Speaker” had been mistakenly used before, the assembly should correct the terminology rather than perpetuate it. Hooda agreed, noting the oversight should have been addressed at the time.
The Acting Speaker offered his perspective, suggesting that if there were indeed legal distinctions between “Acting Speaker” and “pro tem Speaker,” the terminology should be reviewed. In response, CM Saini assured the assembly that they would amend the records to reflect the correct usage.
