SHILLONG, June 23 – Meghalaya Assembly Wednesday elected unopposed senior Congress member Phing Well Muktieh as its Deputy Speaker, a post lying vacant since elections in the State during early 2003, reports PTI.
Muktieh, the Soil Conservation minister, representing Mawhati (ST) constituency, was declared elected by Speaker Martin M Danggo in the assembly.
Danggo said only Muktieh's nomination, proposed by Congress member Charles Pyngrope and seconded by United Democratic Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Donkupar Roy was received by his office yesterday.
“The nomination paper was found valid and I declare Muktieh as Deputy Speaker of the Assembly elected unopposed,” Danggo said. Soon after his election, Muktieh, was escorted to his designated chair by leader of house and Chief Minister D D Lapang and leader of the opposition Admiral K Sangma.
Later felicitating the Deputy Speaker, Lapang expressed hope that Muktieh, who hailed from a rural background, would perform well, show his 'impartiality and firmness' and put the record straight.