First-Ever All-Women Chairpersons Panel In Kerala Assembly History

In the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, an all-female panel of chairpersons would preside over House proceedings for the first time in the history of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. The decision to create an all-female chairpersons panel was made after Speaker A N Shamseer, who took over for M B Rajesh in the position, recommended the idea. The ruling Left then nominated two names, and the opposition UDF proposed a third.

Asha C. K. from the CPI, U. Prathibha from the CPI(M), and K. K. Rema from the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India, a supporter of the UDF, currently make up the three-person panel.

Usually, there is only one woman on the panel. Only 32 women have served on the panel out of the 515 members who have participated in it since the first Kerala Legislative Assembly until the current seventh session of the 15th one. Despite Congress MLA Uma Thomas's attendance in the House, Rema's name was proposed by the UDF.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly's seventh session will get underway. There are nine days left in the current session, which will end on December 15. The state government has allocated eight days for business, but on Friday, private members' business will be discussed. IUML state president Panakkad Sadikali Shihab Thangal reportedly advised his lawmakers to take a position based on the matter. Typically, the IUML leadership does not call a meeting of its lawmakers before the start of the session.