Deputy Speaker Shanimol Osman breaks conventions, presents calling attention motion in Keralam Assembly

Deputy Speaker Shanimol Osman at the Keralam Legislative Assembly. (File photo)

Deputy Speaker Shanimol Osman set a new parliamentary convention in the Keralam Legislative Assembly on Monday, when she tabled and presented a calling attention motion on disruptions in drinking water supply and the need to make drinking water a birthright of citizens.

By convention, the Deputy Speaker does not present submissions or calling attention motions in the House and restrict themselves to their neutral chair duties. However, Ms. Osman had challenged this limitation during the Assembly session in June, pointing out that it often prevented the sitting Deputy Speaker from raising specific local grievances on behalf of their home constituency. She had requested Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, the right to raise constituency issues directly on the floor.