IMPHAL, Dec 23: Singjamei Assembly Constituency MLA, Irengbam Hemochandra, has been appointed as the 21st speaker and also the second speaker of the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly unanimously by both the ruling and opposition bench during the ongoing 9th winter session of the Assembly, today.
Hemochandra is the youngest legislator to hold the post speaker till now.
The election process to fill the vacant post of the speaker started before the beginning of the ongoing winter session.
Before the voting begins L. Nandakumar, MLA Uripok Assembly constituency the sole competitor withdrew his nomination paper leaving Hemochandra as an uncontested Candidate for the post.
In the meantime, a notice of motion was submitted by 17 MLAs and Ministers in favour of the Congress MLA while only one notice of motion was submitted in favour of L. Nandakumar.
However despite the uncontested status the deputy speaker initiated a voice vote as per the rule of the house. The voice vote unanimously turned out to be in favour of Hemochandra thus electing him as the 21st speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly and second speaker of the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly.
After his appointment as the speaker, Hemochandra was escorted to his speaker seat as an honour by the state Chief Minister O. Ibobi who is also the leader of the house.
While speaking after being elected as the speaker, Hemochandra said that he felt proud and sentimental. He disclosed that since entering into the political arena he had always hoped to become a speaker of the Manipur legislative Assembly.
The newly appointed Speaker urged the legislator to extend their co-operation in maintaining discipline and sanctity of the house and in taking the discipline of the house to a higher level.
Felicitating the newly appointed speaker, Chief Minister, O. Ibobi, address the house during which he hoped for practicing a healthy democracy without favoritism and nepotism and further hoped the newly elected to be an impartial judge.
The Chief Minister further expressed his joy stating that the key post has been filled adding he hoped that no technical difficulties would be faced while making important decision for the State.
While lauding the unanimous decision from both the houses, O. Ibobi asserted that such consensus will come in handy while tackling important issue of the State.
Opposition leader, Radhabinod Koijam and senior opposition MLA O. Joy also gave their opinions on the appointing of new speaker.
The opposition leaders hoped for a drastic changes and reformation of the house with the appointment of young legislators holding key post. MLA. O. Joy further asserted “The voice of the speaker is the voice of the house and the voice of the house is the voice of the people†and further urged the newly elected speaker to maintain neutralism while discharging judgment.
Many MLAs and Minister also spoke in favour of the speaker as a part of the felicitation.
Irengbam Hemochandra Singh, 45 is son of late Deputy CM, I. Tompok Singh. He was born on 13th February, 1965 at Chingamakha Kshetri Leikai, P.O. Singjamei.
He was first elected in the year 1990, to the 5th Manipur Legislative Assembly on an INC Ticket. In the year 1995, he was re-elected to the 6th Manipur Legislative Assembly again on an INC Ticket.
He also once held the post of Deputy Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly (25-3-1995 to 28-3-1995), Minister of State (MAHUD ) (29-3-1995 to 15-12-1997), Elevated to Cabinet Rank (MAHUD), (22-12-1997).
He was also re-elected in the year 2002, to the 8th Manipur Legislative Assembly on a FPM Ticket, in 2007 – Re-elected to the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly on INC Ticket.
His other involvements and activities includes, Youth Congress President, Manipur in the 1992, A.I.C.C. Member of Manipur in 1997, Captain of St. Stephen’s Football Team, Worked for educational and economic development of the people of Manipur as student, Patron Member of the Model Club Chingamakha Leimayol Arts Centre, Founder and Patron of the I. Tompok Singh Memorial Polo Club, Founder Member of Thangjing Air Crash Memorial Committee.
Actively participated in subsequent annual sessions of the A.I.C.C. (I) and N.E.C.C. (I), Elected Secretary-cum-spokesman of the Federal Legislative Party, Member of the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (DRUCC) Guwahati as a Member from Manipur, Member of the High Powered Committee which organised the 5th National Games held in February 1999 at Imphal and was responsible for construction of the National Games Village as Housing Minister.
