Manikrao Gavit named Lok Sabha protem speaker

New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) President Pratibha Patil has appointed Manikrao Gavit, the seniormost member of the new Lok Sabha, as its protem speaker, an official said here Saturday.

'A communication regarding the appointment of Gavit as protem speaker was received (from the president's palace) Friday,' said the official of the Lok Sabha secretariat.

The first session of the 15th Lok Sabha will commence Monday.

'The president will administer the oath of office to the protem speaker at 10 a.m. Monday,' the official told IANS.

Gavit, a 75-year-old Congress leader from Maharashtra, has more than 27 years experience as an MP.

As the protem speaker alone cannot administer the oath of office to the newly elected members, a panel of four senior MPs to assist him has been appointed by the president.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sumitra Mahajan, Basudeb Acharia (Communist Party of India-Marxist), Arjun Charan Sethi (Biju Janata Dal) and Biren Singh Engti (Congress) are the members of the panel.