Bali Ram Bhagat

Bali Ram Bhagat (1922 – 2011) was an Indian politician and Lok Sabha Speaker. He was elected the Speaker of the Fifth Lok Sabha in January 1976, almost towards the scheduled end of the House's life. He had the shortest tenure as Speaker since Independence—less than fourteen months.

He was born on 7 October 1922 in Patna in the State of Bihar. He did his graduation from Patna College and later obtained a Masters Degree in Economics from Patna University. In 1939, at the age of seventeen, he joined the Indian National Congress and participated in the freedom struggle of India. In 1950 he was elected to the Provisional Parliament. He was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance from 1952 to 1956. In 1956, he became the Deputy Minister of Finance and continued in that position for a period of seven years, thereby having the distinction of holding the same portfolio during three consecutive Lok Sabhas.

In 1963, Bhagat became the Minister of State for Planning and held that post till January 1966. During 1963-1967, he was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance. He also had the opportunity to serve as the Minister in the Ministry of Defence for a short while in 1967 before he became the Minister of State for External Affairs the same year. He was elevated to the Cabinet rank in 1969 as the Minister of Foreign Trade and Supply. Later, he also served as the Minister of Steel and Heavy Engineering for a period of eight months.

It was with this background that Bhagat was elected Speaker of the Fifth Lok Sabha on 5 January 1976 against the vacancy caused by the resignation of Speaker Dr. G.S. Dhillon. A veteran Parliamentarian with vast and varied administrative experience, Bhagat was elected Speaker when the country was under Emergency.

Bhagat returned to the Seventh Lok Sabha in the General Elections held in 1980. He was re-elected to the Eighth Lok Sabha as well. For a short spell, he was the Minister of External Affairs in Rajiv Gandhi's Government in 1985-86.

Bhagat was appointed the Governor of Himachal Pradesh in February 1993, a post he held for four months. Later, he remained the Governor of Rajasthan from 30 June 1993 till 1 May 1998.

Nearby pages
Bali the King of Kishkindha, Bali Vidhan Sabha Constituency, Baliguda Vidhan Sabha Constituency, Balihanta, Balikumar