New Delhi, August 17 (HS): Marking the centenary of a historic parliamentary milestone, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will release a commemorative postal stamp in memory of Vitthalbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, the first elected Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly in 1925. The ceremony will take place on August 24, with Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also in attendance.

The initiative, undertaken jointly by the Ministry of Communications and India Post, is being presented as a centenary tribute to Patel’s enduring parliamentary legacy and his extraordinary contribution to India’s democratic journey.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, who announced the development on Sunday, described the release as a befitting honor to a visionary lawmaker and freedom fighter. “Vitthalbhai Patel, as Speaker, symbolized neutrality, unflinching faith in parliamentary procedure, defense of legislative independence, promotion of robust debate, and the upholding of democratic values,” Gupta stated in his press note.

Vitthalbhai Jhaverbhai Patel made history on August 24, 1925, when he assumed the Speaker’s chair—an event widely regarded as a landmark in India’s legislative evolution. Notably, a postal stamp had also been issued earlier on September 27, 1973, to mark his birth centenary, underlining the nation’s continued recognition of his unparalleled service.

The forthcoming stamp release will form a significant highlight of the All India Speakers’ Conference 2025, where Presiding Officers, Deputy Speakers, and Chairpersons of State Legislatures and Legislative Councils from across the country will convene. The conference agenda will include deliberations on the foundations of the Constitution, strengthening of democratic institutions, and the integration of Artificial Intelligence into legislative practices.

By honoring Vitthalbhai Patel on this historic centenary, Parliament will not only pay tribute to a towering statesman but will also reaffirm its commitment to parliamentary democracy, institutional independence, and constitutional values.-

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar