Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Congress Wins Karnataka Assembly Speaker, Council Chairman Posts
On Friday, Karnataka lawmakers picked two people to run important jobs in their legislature.
The most important one is called the Speaker, who runs the meetings of the Assembly, and that job went to GS Patil.
The Chief Minister suggested Patil's name, and the Deputy Chief Minister agreed with it.
Everyone voted by voice, and the temporary Speaker announced that Patil had won.
The job became empty because the old Speaker, UT Khader, had resigned to become a minister.
The Congress party also won the other job, the Chairman of the Legislative Council, which went to Saleem Ahmed.
But two opposition parties, the BJP and JD(S), decided not to take part in the Speaker vote.
They said the Congress should not have announced the Speaker's name on its own party letter, and they called that unfair and unconstitutional.
Even so, they promised to respect the new Speaker once he took his chair.
Congress won the elections for both the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker and Legislative Council Chairman posts on Friday.
GS Patil, a four-time MLA from Ron constituency in Gadag district, was elected Assembly Speaker.
Patil's name was proposed by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and seconded by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara.
Pro-tem Speaker TB Jayachandra declared Patil elected after a voice vote; Saleem Ahmed was elected Legislative Council Chairman.
The BJP and JD(S) boycotted the Speaker election, with Leader of Opposition R Ashoka calling the Congress' party-letterhead announcement of the Speaker unconstitutional.
- Who
- Congress MLAs GS Patil, elected Speaker, and Saleem Ahmed, elected Legislative Council Chairman; Patil's name was proposed by CM DK Shivakumar and seconded by Deputy CM G Parameshwara; the BJP and JD(S) boycotted the election.
- What
- Congress swept the elections for the posts of Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker and Legislative Council Chairman; GS Patil became Speaker after a voice vote.
- When
- On Friday, during the first Assembly session since the Shivakumar-led Cabinet took charge.
- Where
- Karnataka Legislative Assembly, Bengaluru.
- Why
- The Speaker's post fell vacant after UT Khader resigned to be inducted as a minister in the Shivakumar-led Cabinet on June 3.
Congress
BJP/JD(S) Opposition
Naming the Speaker on party letterhead
Congress
The Congress high command's August 3 letter to CM DK Shivakumar, which named 19 ministers and party nominees for Speaker and other posts, is part of the party's normal procedure for choosing office-bearers.
BJP/JD(S) Opposition
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka called it unconstitutional, saying it starts a new tradition in the country and the state that undermines the sovereignty of the House and the rights of its elected representatives.
Boycott of the Speaker election
Congress
The Speaker election was conducted by voice vote and Patil was duly declared elected as Speaker.
BJP/JD(S) Opposition
BJP and JD(S) boycotted the Speaker election in protest against the Congress' actions, while stating they would accord the Speaker's chair and office all due respect once elected.
- New Assembly Speaker
- GS Patil (Gurupadagouda Sanganagouda Patil), four-time MLA from Ron constituency
- Party
- Congress
- Legislative Council Chairman
- Saleem Ahmed
- Nominated by
- CM DK Shivakumar; seconded by Deputy CM G Parameshwara
- Declared elected by
- Pro-tem Speaker TB Jayachandra (voice vote)
- Previous Speaker
- UT Khader (resigned to join Cabinet on June 3)
- Opposition
- BJP and JD(S) boycotted the Speaker election
- Event
- First Assembly session since the Shivakumar-led Cabinet took charge