New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is leading an Indian Parliamentary Delegation to the 206th Session of the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) from November 1 to 4, participated in its Extraordinary virtual session.

The main agenda of the virtual session, where 144 parliamentarians participated, was about the election of the new President of IPU for the term 2020-23.

The process of election to the post of IPU President commenced on Sunday. The election will be completed in a window of 24 hours. Each country has three votes in the Presidency collegium provided one delegate is a woman.

Duarte Pacheco from Portugal, Muhammad Sanjrani from Pakistan, Akmal Saidov from Uzbekistan and Salma Ataullahjan from Canada are contesting the post of IPU President.

The first day proceedings started with the opening remarks of the acting President of the IPU. Apart from the election of President, the Governing Council will also consider administrative matters including financial results of IPU, its budget and a host of other matters.

The Governing Council is the main policy-making body of the IPU which is inter-alia mandated to elect the new President of IPU.

The speaker is accompanied by Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Swapan Dasgupta, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha in the Virtual Session.