Amid speculation over his continuance in office following Left withdrawal of support to the Government, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee gave broad hints that he has no plans to resign, saying he was not elected as the nominee of any party.
"The Honourable Speaker does not represent any political party in the discharge of his duties and functions.... Since his election as Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee has scrupulously kept himself away from all political activities," a Lok Sabha secretariat release said.
Noting that attention of Chatterjee has been drawn to various reports, it requested the media not to drag the "highest legislative office of the country into controversies by speculative reports and undeserved innuendos".
"As and when any decision is taken by the Honourable Speaker, relevant to the present political context, the media will be kept informed," it said in the backdrop of reports that Chatterjee might resign in the wake of the Left action.
The release said that it was well known that the Speaker's election to the high office was "not only uncontested but was unanimous as all political parties proposed his name.
"He was not elected as nominee of any party. In the discharge of his duties and functions, he does not owe allegiance to any political party," it said.