Ruby Kumari Thakur Elected as 13th Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives

Kathmandu. On Friday, Ruby Kumari Thakur of the Shram Sanskriti Party was elected as the 13th Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. In the election held during the House session, 256 out of 275 members cast their votes. Thakur received 229 votes in favor, 5 against, and 22 were neutral.

In Nepal's democratic history, there have been 13 Deputy Speakers since 2015 BS, consisting of 7 women and 6 men. The men who served as Deputy Speaker include Mahendra Narayan Nidhi, Mahantha Thakur, Ram Bilas Yadav, Bhojraj Joshi, and Ganga Prasad Yadav. The women include Lila Shrestha Subba, Chitra Lekha Yadav, Purna Kumari Subedi, Onsari Gharti, Dr. Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe, Pushpa Bhusal, Indira Rana Magar, and Ruby Kumari Thakur.

From a party perspective, Deputy Speakers have come from 7 different parties: 4 from the Nepali Congress, 3 from the CPN (UML), 2 from the CPN (Maoist), and 1 each from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Shram Sanskriti Party.

The Congress representatives were Mahendra Narayan Nidhi, Mahantha Thakur, Chitra Lekha Yadav, and Pushpa Bhusal. Thakur, who previously engaged in politics with Congress, is now a National Assembly member representing the Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepal.

Lila Shrestha Subba, Bhojraj Joshi, and Dr. Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe served from the UML. Purna Kumari Subedi and Onsari Gharti served from the CPN (Maoist). Ram Bilas Yadav from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Ganga Prasad Yadav from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, Indira Rana Magar from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Ruby Kumari Thakur from the Shram Sanskriti Party also served as Deputy Speakers. 

The details of the Deputy Speakers and their terms from the first House of Representatives in 2016 BS to 2082 BS are as follows–

In the first general election of 2015 BS, Congress secured a two-thirds majority and appointed Mahendra Narayan Nidhi as the first Deputy Speaker of Nepal. Nidhi served from 2016/12/18 to 2017/09/01.

The next parliamentary election was held in 2048 BS, where Congress won a majority and appointed Mahantha Thakur as the second Deputy Speaker. According to Federal Parliament Secretariat records, his term lasted from 2048/03/09 to 2051/09/02.

In the 2051 BS midterm elections, no party secured a majority. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party, as the third-largest party, secured the position for Ram Bilas Yadav, who served from 2051/09/03 to 2054/06/27.

Following political shifts, UML MP Lila Shrestha Subba became the fourth Deputy Speaker and the first woman to hold the post. She served from 2055/01/23 to 2055/06/24.

After the UML filed an impeachment motion against Speaker Ram Chandra Poudel, Subba stepped down. Bhojraj Joshi of the CPN (ML), a splinter group of the UML, became the fifth Deputy Speaker, serving from 2055/06/28 to 2055/12/09.

In the 2056 BS election, Congress won a majority, and Chitra Lekha Yadav became the sixth Deputy Speaker. She served from 2056/03/15 to 2063/10/03, notably continuing parliamentary functions during the royal regime.

In the 2064 BS Constituent Assembly election, the CPN (Maoist) emerged as the largest party. Purna Kumari Subedi became the seventh Deputy Speaker, serving from 2064/08/13 to 2070/08/04.

In the 2070 BS election, the Maoists became the third-largest party but secured the Deputy Speaker position for Onsari Gharti, the eighth Deputy Speaker, who served from 2070/11/14 to 2072/06/27.

Following the promulgation of the constitution in 2072 BS, Gharti became Speaker, and Ganga Prasad Yadav of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal became the ninth Deputy Speaker, serving from 2072/06/27 to 2074/06/29.

Under the new constitution in 2074 BS, Dr. Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe of the CPN (UML) became the 10th Deputy Speaker, serving from 2074/12/04 to 2076/10/06.

Subsequently, Congress leader Pushpa Bhusal served as the 11th Deputy Speaker from 2079/03/31 to 2079/06/01.

In the 2079 BS election, no party won a majority. Indira Rana Magar of the Rastriya Swatantra Party became the 12th Deputy Speaker, serving from 2079/10/09 to 2082/10/05.

Following the dissolution of the previous House and the election on Falgun 21, Ruby Kumari Thakur of the Shram Sanskriti Party has been elected as the 13th Deputy Speaker.

List of Deputy Speakers and their terms

1) Mahendra Narayan Nidhi

Term: 2016/12/18 to 2017/09/01

2) Mahantha Thakur

Term: 2048/03/09 to 2051/09/02

3) Ram Bilas Yadav

Term: 2051/09/03 to 2054/06/27

4) Lila Subba Shrestha

Term: 2055/01/23 to 2055/06/24

5) Bhojraj Joshi

Term: 2055/06/28 to 2055/12/09

6) Chitra Lekha Yadav

Term: 2056/03/15 to 2063/10/03

7) Purna Kumari Subedi

Term: 2064/08/13 to 2070/08/04

8) Onsari Gharti

Term: 2070/11/14 to 2072/06/27

9) Ganga Prasad Yadav

Term: 2072/06/27 to 2074/06/29

10) Dr. Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe

Term: 2074/12/04 to 2076/10/06

11) Pushpa Bhusal

Term: 2079/03/31 to 2079/06/01

12) Indira Rana Magar

Term: 2079/10/09 to 2082/10/05

13) Ruby Kumari Thakur

Term: 2082 Chaitra 27 onwards...